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THE 



V DUDLEY OBSERYATORY 



AND THE 



SCIENTIFIC COUNCIL, 



STATEMENT OF THE TRUSTEES. 



ALBANY: 

VAN BENTHUYSEN, PRINTER, 407 BROADWAY 

1858. 



• Alt 






STATEMENT 



OF THE 



TRUSTEES OF THE DUDLEY OBSERVATORY. 



Recent events in the history of the Dudley Observatory, 
seem to require that the Trustees of that Institution 
should present to the public a statement of facts, relating 
to the difficulties which have, for a few weeks, occupied 
so much attention. 

The project of establishing an Astronomical Observ- 
atory in the city of Albany, was first suggested by 
Doctor J. H. Armsby, in the winter of 1851. His 
views were submitted to several prominent citizens, 
some of whom encouraged, while more discountenanced 
the suggestion. Thomas W. Olcott, was the first to 
promise aid and support to the enterprise. 

In June, 1851, Professor Amos Dean wrote to Pro- 
fessor Mitchell, of Cincinnati, asking his advice and 
co-operation. 

Professor Mitchell's reply, dated July 28th, 1851, was 
replete with wise counsel and encouragement. It con- 
stituted, in fact, the foundation upon whieh subsequent 
proceedings were based. 



In his letter, lie says : 

" Twenty-five thousand dollars, for building and instruments, 
would be sufficient to realize, at the beginning, my views of the 
matter, and to lay the ground-work upon which immediate action 
and consequent success, could be based." 

At a social gathering, at the house of Doctor Armsby, 
on the evening of July 3d, 1851, Professor Mitchell's 
letter was read. Among those present, were, the Hon. 
Washington Hunt, then Governor of the State, Thomas 
W. Olcott, Judge Harris, Doctor March, Judge 
Parker, Professor Dean, E. P. Prentice, and William 
H. De Witt. Professor Agassiz made an eloquent 
address in reference to the establishment of a University 
in this city, of which the Astronomical Observatory was 
to be an organic department. 

Soon after this meeting, Dr. Armsby commenced 
circulating a subscription for the endowment of the 
Observatory. Mr. Olcott was the first to subscribe. 
He was followed by Messrs. De Witt, Prentice, and 
others. In August, 1851, Prof. Mitchell, while attending 
a meeting of the American Association for the Advance- 
ment of Science, held in this city, selected the site 
now occupied by the Observatory. 

Gen. Van Rensselaer, who owned the land, generously 
agreed to give, and subsequently conveyed to the 
Trustees, about seven acres of land for this purpose. It 
is gratifying to the Trustees to know that in this instance, 
as in others, giving did not impoverish the donor. 
His adjacent lands have been greatly enhanced in 
value. Very considerable sales have been made, at 



prices greatly exceeding those at which the land had 
been held before the location of the Observatory. 

At this time, the project received some slight check, 
from the discouragement of Messrs. Bache, Pierce and 
Henry; who, at a meeting at the Mechanics' and Farm- 
ers' Bank, advised against the enterprise. Possibly, 
the fact that it was being prosecuted under the aus- 
pices of Prof. Mitchell, had some influence upon the 
views of these distinguished gentlemen, at that time. 

In September 1851, Mr. Olcott procured from Mrs. 
Dudley a subscription of ten thousand dollars, with the 
understanding that an act of incorporation should be 
obtained, and that the Institution should be named the 
Dudley Observatory. 

A few weeks later, through the instrumentality of 
John B. Tibbitts, Esq., of Troy, Mrs. Dudley gave 
three thousand dollars more. These generous dona- 
tions were bestowed at least four years before 
Mrs. Dudle} T , or the Trustees, had contemplated the 
connection of any scientific gentleman with the Observa- 
tory, except Prof. Mitchell. 

In March 1852, the total of subscriptions having 
reached the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars, the 
Legislature of the State of New- York, passed the fol- 
lowing act of incorporation : 

An act to. incorporate the Dudley Observatory, of the 
city of Albany. 

The People of the State of New-York^ represented in 
Senate and Assembly , do enact as follows: 

Section 1. Thomas W. Olcott, William H. De Witt, Ezra P. 
Prentice, x\lden March, Joel Rathbone, Robert H. Pruyn, John 



6 

B. Tibbitts, OrmsbyM. Mitchell, Samuel H. Ransom, Gilbert C. 
Davidson, James H. Armsby, John N. Wilder, Isaac W. Vos- 
burgh, Eliphalet Wickes, Stephen Van Rensselaer, and such 
others as they may associate with themselves, are hereby consti- 
tuted a body corporate and politic forever, by the name and style 
of " The Dudley Observatory, of the city of Albany," for the 
purpose of establishing and maintaining an Astronomical Observa- 
tory, in the city of Albany, and by that name they and their 
successors and associates shall be capable of taking, by purchase 
or otherwise, holding, conveying, or otherwise disposing of any real 
or personal estate, for the purposes of this incorporation, which 
estate shall not at any time exceed the net annual income of ten 
thousand dollars. 

§ 2. The persons above named shall be trustees of the said 
corporation, and shall have power to fill any vacancies which may 
occur in their number, and shall have power to make such by-laws 
as may be necessary, and not contrary to law, relative to the 
management and disposition of the estate and concerns of said 
corporation, and to appoint such officers and servants as they may 
deem necessary. 

§ 3. The said corporation shall be subject to the general pro- 
visions and liabilities, contained in the third title, of the eighteenth 
chapter, of the first part of the Revised Statutes. 

The plan for the Observatory building was made in the 
winter of 1853, at Cincinnati, under the immediate direc- 
tion of Prof. Mitchell, who, as it was then understood, 
was to take charge of the Observatory. In pursuance 
of this plan, a building was erected in 1853, and 1854. 
Prof. Geo. R. Perkins superintended its construction. 

In the early part of the year 1855, the progress of 
the enterprise was checked by the temporary inability 
of Prof. Mitchell to remove to Albany, by reason of some 
important business engagements in which he was con- 
cerned. The Trustees, however, continued to receive 
assurances from that distinguished Astronomer, that, as 
soon as these engagements should be fulfilled, he would 
at once devote himself to the interests and objects of 
the Observatory. 



At the Providence meeting of the American Associa- 
tion for the Advancement of Science, in Angust, 1855, 
the utility of a Heliometer was discussed. By means 
of this instrument, certain astronomical measurements 
can be performed with greater accuracy, than by any 
other instrument at present known to science. These 
measurements were much desired by the Coast Survey, 
for the determination of the position of certain stars of 
the Pleiades ; and the use of the Heliometer, for that pur- 
pose, had been first suggested to, and urged upon Profes- 
sor Pierce, by Dr. C. H. F. Peters, then employed by the 
Coast Survey, on a work upon the Pleiades occultations. 

During the Providence meeting, Prof. Bache informed 
a Trustee of the Observatory, of the wants of the 
Coast Survey, and of the fact, that, as an act of Con- 
gress prohibited that body from establishing a fixed 
Observatory, they were not authorised to use the money 
necessary to procure a fixed Observatory instrument. 
He then proposed that the citizens of Albany should 
furnish the means to purchase a Heliometer, and he, as 
Superintendent of the Coast Survey, and in considera- 
tion of the advantage he should derive from the use of 
that instrument, would supply a Transit instrument and 
observers, from his corps of United States employees, 
free of expense to thelnstitution. 

Dr. Gould, in his speech at the Inauguration of the 
Observatory, referring to this interview, says : " This 
was enough for Doctor Armsby. He saw in it a means 
of usefulness for the Dudley Observatory, and he guar- 



anteed, upon his own responsibility, that Albany would 
provide one." 

Immediately after making this pledge, Dr. Armsby 
sought Professor Mitchell, then present at the Associa- 
tion meeting, and after informing him what he had 
done, enquired if it met his approval. His reply was 
worthy the disinterested and earnest devotee of science. 
He admitted that his personal feelings would incline 
him to wish, that the Observatory might remain inactive 
until his business engagements would enable him to 
carry out his original plans. But he expressed his 
readiness to yield his preference, for the cause of science, 
and to give his acquiescence to a proposal, which, if 
carried out in good faith, promised to put the Observa- 
tory at once into working order, and to secure immediate 
practical results. Thus commenced the first connexion 
between the United States Coast Survey, and the Dud- 
ley Observatory. 

Dr. Armsby returned to Albany, and laid the plan 
before Mr. Olcott, at whose solicitation Mrs. Dudley 
promptly and cheerfully agreed to advance six thousand 
dollars, for the purpose of executing the arrangement. 

Intelligence of this fact was conveyed at once to 
Professor Bache, then present at the anniversary meet- 
ing of the American Association for the Advancement 
of Education, held in New York, immediately after the 
Providence meeting. It was hailed with joy by Prof. 
Bache and Pierce, the latter of whom then proposed 
that an advisory council, consisting of gentlemen of 



scientific attainments, should be associated with the 
Board of Trustees. Being requested to mention the 
names he would propose for this council, he wrote the 
following : Professors Bache, Pierce, Gould, and Com- 
mander Davis. A few days afterwards, on the occasion 
of the informal appointment of the Scientific Council, 
Dr. Gould stated that he was not on friendly terms 
with Commander Davis. His name was, therefore, 
stricken from the list, and that of Professor Henry 
substituted. The name of the late Dr. Beck was also 
added, at the same time. Thus originated the now 
famous Scientific Council. 

About the same time, in order that the Heliometer 
might be the largest and best instrument of its 
kind in the world, Mrs. Dudley, at the solicitation of 
Mr. Olcott, as before, increased her subscription to 
$14,000. 

Mr. Olcott also authorised the purchase of a Meridian 
Circle, to cost $5,000, and Professor Bache authorised 
the purchase of a Transit instrument, for use in the 
Observatory, to be paid for by the Coast Survey, at a 
cost of $1,500. 

The Hon. Erastus Corning also authorised the pur- 
chase of a Normal Clock, to cost $1,000, and Dr. Gould 
offered to go to Europe, for the purpose of securing 
these important instruments. The proposal was 
accepted, and Dr. Gould started for Europe, the last 
of September, 1855, with full authority to purchase a 
2 



10 

Heliometer, a Meridian Circle, a Transit instrument, 
a Normal Clock, and such other instruments as he 
might think proper. He was furnished with an ample 
letter of credit, for his personal expenses, and to 
enable him to make the necessary advances on the 
instruments. The importance of immediate action, in 
the opinion of the Board, justified the additional 
expense necessarily attendant upon a hurried expedi- 
tion ; especially as Dr. Gould's positive assurances and 
promises induced them to believe that, by his personal 
exertions, the instruments could all be landed in Albany 
before the first day of August, 1856, so as to be in- 
use at the Inauguration of the Observatory. 

Dr. Gould, while in Europe, contracted for a Meri- 
dian Circle, Transit instrument, and Clock. These 
contracts, as well as his letters to the Trustees, seemed 
to vindicate the latter in the expense they had incurred 
in sending him to Europe, and to justify the hopes he 
had encouraged. He wrote from Berlin, on the 23d of 
October, 1855, as follows: 

" What Le Verrier pronounced impossible, Martins (the maker) 
has promised, namely : that the instrument (the Meridian Circle) 
shall be completed by the first of July, 1856, and in America, all 
going well on the passage, by the first of August." 

Under date of October the 24th, he informed the 
Trustees that he had made a similar contract, with the 
same makers, for the Transit instrument. 

On the 5th of November, 1855, Dr. Gould wrote from 
Gotha, Germany, the following gratifying information 
respecting the clock : 



11 

" In Altona I have contracted for the Normal Clock, presented 
by Mr. Coming, and here the changes will be very great. The 
clock case is to be of metal, except the front, which is to be of 
glass ; the whole is to be air-tight, and a compensation for baro- 
metric changes introduced. It is one of the simplest things in the 
world, and seems so strange that it was not thought of before. 
As the clock is to be sheltered as much as possible from changes 
of temperature, and no loud sound will be necessary for the beat, 
great delicacy seems attainable ; and the maker, M. Krille, has 
already stopped work on everything else, to devote all the energies 
of all his workmen to this one object. The clock is to be adjusted, 
regulated, set in motion, stopped and wound by apparatus from 
the outside. Krille is quite as earnest and enthusiastic about it 
as I am. He means to do something that will make his name 
long remembered. The clock will be done the first of May, 
(1856,) and tested by Prof. Peters, at Altona, until it is time 
for it to accompany the Meridian Circle and the Transit 
instrument, in July." 

Whether this glowing description is correct or not, 
is at present unknown, for the Clock is not yet received, 
and the subscription of Mr. Corning, the only valid 
subscription, which, as he insists, he has ever made, 
still remains unpaid. A former subscription of $1,000 
had been made by Mr. Corning, upon condition that 
nineteen other gentlemen should subscribe a similar 
amount. The sum contemplated by the subscription, 
and more, was raised ; but as it was not contributed in 
sums of $1,000 each, Mr. Corning felt himself at liberty 
to repudiate. The Trustees have now but little reason 
to hope that the Corning Clock, or either of the Corn- 
ing subscriptions will ever be received. 

Dr. Gould returned from Europe, on the 29th of 
December, 1855. His account of expenses was ren- 
dered and immediately audited and allowed. It is but 
justice to state that these expenses were commendably 
moderate, being scarcely one hundred dollars more than 



12 

the expenses of Mr. Gavit, or Mr. Spencer, who after- 
wards spent the same time in Europe, and traveled 
over the same ground, at the charge of the Trustees. 

In January, 1856, Dr. Gould addressed a letter to the 
Directors of the N. Y. Central Eailroad Company, 
signed by himself and Prof. Bache, in which, after 
stating the advantages of absolute accuracy of time on 
railroads, and the extent to which the telegraphic 
method of giving time is carried in Europe, he offered, 
on the part of the Observatory, to furnish the Central 
road with time for $1,500 a year. He adds, " should 
our offer meet with the response we anticipate, con- 
siderable preparation will be needed at Albany; and 
we address you at this early day, in order that, should 
you desire it, we may take the necessary steps for putting 
the system in operation from and after the Inauguration of 
the Observatory^ in August next. 11 The Directors at once 
accepted the offer, but they have not yet received the 
" time." Nor has the Institution received the fifteen 
hundred dollars income, which Dr. Gould's performance 
of his engagement would have secured. 

In a letter on the same day, informing the Trustees of 
this correspondence, Dr. Gould says : " I would suggest 
that, in a letter to the Hudson River Railroad, besides 
leaving out the injudicious word, (' Corning 7 clock,) the 
sum be put at $500, and for the "Western Railroad, $500 ; 
and insert also, that should the time of any other place, 
such as Springfield, Worcester or Boston, be preferred 



13 

to Albany time, it can be given with equal correctness 
and facility." 

Nor were the railroad corporations to monopolize this 
accurate regulation of time. In the same letter it is 
proposed, that " Utica, Rochester and Buffalo be told 
that the Observatory is ready to regulate their large 
church clocks or small chamber time pieces, to their 
own local time." And at the same time, in a letter to 
the Mayor of New- York, Dr. Gould said : " The Trus- 
tees of the Dudley Observatory, which has been erected 
in Albany, and is to commence its activity in August 
next, (1856) beg leave to express to your Honor, the 
pleasure it will afford them to furnish the city of New 
York with accurate time. Should the proposal meet 
your approbation, it would be our pride and pleasure, 
from and after the day of the Inauguration of the Dudley 
Observatory^ to give accurate time to your city, within 
the fraction of a second, by the dropping of a time ball." 

The Trustees, in their simplicity, believed all this 
meant something. They believed that Dr. Gould had a 
perfect knowledge of all the facts ; they thought that he, 
if any one, knew what the instruments he had ordered 
were capable of accomplishing, and when they could go 
into operation. They believed that these visions were 
soon to become realities, and that from and after 
the time of the Inauguration, the trains on every 
railroad centering in Albany, would govern their 
movements, and start from their every station, by the 
click of the "Corning Clock;" and that when, in the 



14 

eloquent language of the immortal Everett, " the eter- 
nal sun strikes twelve at noon, and the glorious 
constellations, far up in the everlasting belfries of the 
skies, chime twelve at midnight" — then, the dropping 
time ball in every great city on the continent would 
announce at so many points on earth, what was thus 
chimed in the " belfries of the skies." 

In his letter to the Trustees, promising a " time" 
revenue to the Observatory, to commence immediately 
after the Inauguration, Dr. Gould took occasion to 
caution them against making his plans too public, 
in the following characteristic terms: "It is not well 
to suspect the possibility that New York could wish 
to have the time elsewhere than at her own capital ; 
but do be cautious how the thing is talked of publicly 
until the trigger is ready to be pulled." 

As if to keep the same delusive vision of a "time" 
revenue before the minds of the Trustees, Dr. Gould 
again, writing from Mobile, under date of February 4. 
1856, says: " There is no reason why all the clocks in 
the city should not form a circuit for themselves, inde- 
pendent, and be strictly sympathetic." 

The effect of these brilliant prospects was, as might 
be supposed, greatly to increase the confidence of the 
Trustees in their adviser. He had opened up before 
their delighted vision a career of unparallelled success. 
Accordingly, when, upon his return from Europe, he 
informed them that he had not contracted for a Heli- 
ometer there, and submitted the proposition that 



15 

Mr. Spencer should be employed to construct the 
instrument, the Trustees cheerfully assented. Dr. 
Gould went to Canastota, and instructed Mr. Spencer 
to prepare specifications. It had been supposed that 
the instrument would cost $6,000 : but the price was 
raised, as the proposed size was increased, until it 
reached $14,000, which sum was agreed to be paid. 
Dr. Gould represented to the Trustees, in colors as 
glowing as those with which he depicted the glories 
of the air-tight, sheltered and noiseless Corning clock, 
ordered at Altona, or the benefit of the "time balls" 
to be dropped all over the State, the advantages and 
splendor of the promised Heliometer, which he had 
thus ordered. At a meeting of the friends of the Ob- 
servatory, at the house of Mrs. Dudley, he announced 
that he had awarded to Mr. Spencer the construc- 
tion of the Heliometer, and predicted its triumphant 
success. 

At a similar meeting, a few days later, at the house 
of Judge Parker, Dr. Gould urged, as actually neces- 
sary, that Mr. Spencer should be sent to Europe, at 
the expense of the Observatory, to examine the instru- 
ments there ; stating, at the same time, his confident 
belief that, with this advantage, he would be able to 
construct a better instrument than any which had yet 
been made. The Trustees, as in everything else, 
acceded to this proposition. 

Not long after this, Dr. Gould proposed that another 
person should be sent with Mr. Spencer. To reconcile 



16 

the Trustees to this further expense, which seemed to 
them quite unnecessary, he stated that Mr. Spencer 
was unused to travel, and his life was " too precious 
to the cause of science to be risked;" and besides, that 
such were the peculiarities of Mr. Spencer, that a judi- 
cious companion might, to use his own language, 
"prevent him from going off upon side issues. 11 As a 
further reason for incurring this expense, it was urged 
that, as time was important, and the work of con- 
structing the Heliometer should be entered upon with 
the least possible delay, it might be a saving of time 
to send with Mr. Spencer, a traveling companion. The 
name of Mr. Gavit was proposed for this office. After 
some hesitation, and not without reluctance, the Trus- 
tees finally yielded their assent to this proposition also. 
On the 12th of January, 1856, writing from Cambridge, 
Dr. Gould says : "If my efforts have met with the appro- 
val of those at whose instance they were exerted, it is all 
the reward I could ask, after the satisfaction of my own 
conscience. If the noble instruments you are to have, 
every one of them containing decided advances in con- 
struction and application of new principles, shall be 
used with diligence, tact and good judgment, the science 
of the world, as well as the intellectual attainments 
and position of America, will be the gainer." He also 
writes : " Since I saw you, I have ordered one Chrono- 
graph and clock, and given direction for estimates and 
plans for two other Chronographs, the dial for the 
siderial and the mean time clock, the adjustment to 



11 

regulate railroad and other clocks on the circuits, the 
observing keys and the time ball." 

Much attention was also given by Dr. Gould, at 
this time, to efforts to make the Inauguration ceremo- 
nies, at which the great instruments were to be exhibited, 
and the time from the Observatory sent forth to all 
parts of the State, an entire success. Even the character 
of the parties invited to be present, engaged his atten - 
tion. On the 23d of March he wrote to the Trustees 
cautioning them to "weigh all the names of the parties 
invited, carefully, in order to avoid diminishing the 
honor of the invitations, by affording them to second or 
third rate people." 

Again, on the 29th of March, he writes : " Do not invite 

. . and # . * * * The 

invitations should be select, in order to make them com- 
plimentary. A scientific man, like an artist, is sensitive; 
and the inviting a single man of the wrong kind, while 
one of the right kind is omitted, might destroy half the 
charm of the whole affair. To hear that the invitation, 
which should be a high honor to him, had gone to Mr. 
Jones, or Mr. Smith, would do much harm." 

Nor was his anxiety for the success of the Observa- 
tory, confined to the exclusion of those " second and 
third rate men," Messrs. Smith and Jones, from the 
Inauguration. Having learned, that Messrs. Spencer and 
Gavit's departure for Europe had been delayed, he ex- 
pressed much concern, and wrote : "I will not believe 
3 



18 

it possible that Spencer should not go just at the last 
moment. Certainly he ought not to undertake the Helio- 
meter without having visited the European instruments, 
and he needs davit's companionship." 

In April, Dr. Gould returned from New Orleans. The 
enlargement of the two wings of the Observatory build- 
ing was then under consideration. The plans were 
prepared under his direction, and subject to his approval. 
On the 23d of April, 1856, writing from Cam- 
bridge, Dr. Gould says : " The drawings I have been 
studying, and although my want of familiarity with 
architecture prevents me from understanding them 
fully, as yet, I hope to have a clear comprehension of 
the plan of alteration to-day." On the following day 
he writes, " the plan for changing the building — that 
is, altering the Rowings — is satisfactory and very hand- 
some." 

On the 28th of April, Dr. Gould, still holding out the 
expectation that the Observatory would be in working 
order by the end of August, writing from Cambridge, says: 
" I have received a letter from Prof. P. P. Brown, who 
wants to be assistant at the Dudley Observatory, and 
propose, of course, to refer him to you, after informing 
him that the Observatory will not commence its activ- 
ity before the last of August." 

On the 7th of May, Dr. Gould writes about the 
piers, which he says will be seven or seven and a half 
tons weight, and asks : " Is there no derrick or travel- 
ing frame in Albany that»can be obtained to set them 



19 

with?" He states, also, that "the Chronograph prom- 
ises to be a decided success," and says : " I have done 
all I can to hurry the time ball matter up." The latter, 
however, he states, hangs, on account of the inactivity 
of Mr. Blunt, of New- York, who, he says, " promises 
immensely, and does nothing at all." 

On the 12th of May, 1856, Dr. Gould writes in the 
following gratifying style: "I have no doubt that the 
Transit and Clock will be ready in July, as promised ; 
and have not abandoned all hope of the Meridian Circle 
yet. But I feel very great confidence that it will not be 
more than one month later." 

On the 15th of May, Dr. Gould writes: "The plans 
for the piers have been entirely ready these six weeks, 
and I will bring them to Albany, Monday or Tuesday 
next. My time shall be passed in work, and not in play, 
this time." 

In a letter written on the 26th of May, he evinced his 
deep interest in the affairs of the Observatory, in a some- 
what melancholy strain. He sighs for a " full guaranty 
that the Institution shall keep up its vigor and activity," 
in case both Prof. Bache and himself " be taken away." 
He then proceeds in language which now seems to 
have been almost prophetic : " No man knows the dark 
and shadowy future ; and the organization of the Dud- 
ley Observatory ought to be so thorough and permanent, 
that, were one director to die, the Trustees should be pre- 
pared to fill his place with another, without deranging the 
activity of the work." 



20 

In June, 1856, Dr. Gould writes from Cambridge, 
that he has received encouragement that the Meridian 
Circle will be finished and shipped by the end of July, 
and states that the maker wants the inscription for it. 
He says: "Please tell me on Monday, to Boston, 
whether you like this, and how you would change it, if 
at all : 

"OLCOTT MERIDIAN CIRCLE. 
Made for THE DUDLEY OBSERVATORY, at Albany, 

BY 

PISTOR & MARTINS, 

Berlin, 1856." 

On the 10th of July, Dr. Gould first writes that his 
plans for experimental chronographs do not work quite 
satisfactorily. He says : " I was more sanguine of their 
brilliant success, a fortnight ago, than I am now ; but 
while we are trying experiments, we take care to put 
a peg through all that we have already secured. 77 

About this time, Dr. C. H. F. Peters, an eminent prac- 
tical astronomer, arrived in Albany. He had been 
detailed to the Observatory, by the Superintendent of the 
Coast Survey, in whose "employ he then was. His arri- 
val was hailed with much satisfaction by the Trustees, to 
whom the continued absence of Dr. Gould had been a 
source of much regret and embarrassment. Their gratifi- 
cation was increased, by the high encomiums bestowed 
upon Dr. Peters by both Prof. Bache and Dr. Gould. The 
latter had represented him to be a man of " vast experi- 
ence, practical ability, and great genius. 77 And the Trus- 
tees had the more reason to congratulate themselves 



21 

upon their good fortune, in securing so able a man as 
a resident at the Observatory, since they were also 
aware that Lieutenant G-illis, formerly Superinten- 
dent of the National Observatory, at Washington, 
and upon whose work on the Chilian Expedition, Dr. 
Peters had been employed in aid of Dr. Gould, had 
offered him a place in his corps, at a salary of $1,200 a 
year, with three assistants ; an offer which was subse- 
quently repeated. 

On the 30th of July, Dr. Gould writes from Cambridge: 
il The clocks are progressing, and the chronograph, 
number one, is nearly completed. I think we are very 
fortunate in having the aid of so skillful -and energetic 
a man as Dr. Peters, in arranging matters." The Trus- 
tees were of the same opinion. 

Throughout June and July, the work at the Observa- 
tory was delayed through the necessity of transmitting 
plans to Cambridge or Washington, and especially be- 
cause of the difficulty in deciding upon the sort of piers 
to be obtained. Dr. Gould, desired to have the largest 
solid stone piers in the world, irrespective of cost ; and 
the Trustees, relying upon him as a practical astronomer, 
were anxious to second his views. It is true, they some- 
times considered those views peculiar. Prof. Bartlett, 
the eminent astronomer at West Point, who was regarded 
as competent to prepare plans for the National Observa- 
tory, at Washington, suggested free-stone piers as proper 
to be used. But Dr. Gould wrote as follows : "Professor 
Bartlett 's talk about free-stone piers is simply absurd. 



22 

It is not his speciality, very evidently. There is no 
difficulty in obtaining either that or granite, of any 
size; but bricks would be just as good as free-stone." 
The Trustees were not then aware that Dr. Gould's 
views were theoretical only, and that he was without 
practical experience. It is needless to recapitulate the 
annoying delay in the work, caused by this desire to 
follow the counsel of an absent adviser; but it was 
seriously felt by the Trustees, and much embarrassed 
their operations. 

Early in August, the anxiety of Prof. Bache to give 
to the Observatory in every respect a national character, 
and to take from it all features of a local nature, induced 
him to hint at a change of name. "Dudley," was a 
simple family name; "Albany," a comparatively small 
city. Neither suited his ambition, which was of 
course purely of a patriotic, unselfish character, and 
overshadowed those sentiments of personal gratitude 
and esteem, which he could not fail to feel for the 
lady whose name it had taken, and the city whose 
liberality had raised it up. On the 11th of August, 
writing to Mr. Olcott, he says : "I hesitate to make 
suggestions to you, who have done so much, so nobly, 
and so wisely in this cause ; but I should be re- 
creant to the confidence you have shown in me, did I 
not ask you to consider the name of the Observatory? 
and all the consequences that may flow from it. The 
Dudley Observatory, at Jllbany! You will see the train 
of thought that these names excite, and will follow it 



23 

more clearly to its consequences, with your business 
precision of mind." That " train of thought" was fol- 
lowed out by Mr. Olcott when, three days afterwards, on 
the 14th of August, having obtained from Mrs. Dudley 
the munificent donation of $50,000, he suggested and 
procured to be inserted, in her letter to the Trustees, the 
closing paragraph, which reads as follows : " For myself, 
I offer as my share of the required endowment, the sum 
of $50,000, in addition to the advances which I have 
already made ; and I trust that the name which you have 
given to the Observatory, may not be considered as an 
undeserved compliment, and that it will not diminish 
the public regard, by giving to the Institution a seem- 
ingly individual character." The Trustees are not 
aware that any attempt has since been made to change 
the name of the Dudley Observatory, at Jllbany ! 

In her letter to the Trustees announcing the donation, 
Mrs. Dudley also says : 

" I need scarcely refer in a letter to you, to the 
modest beginning and gradual growth of the Institution 
over which you preside, and of which you are the 

RESPONSIBLE GUARDIANS." 

This great gift was placed in the hands of Mr. Olcott 
without the knowledge of any other person ; but on the 
26th of August, two days before the Inauguration, he 
deemed it proper to inform the gentlemen of the advi- 
sory Scientific Council, of the fact. 

The Observatory had now arrived at one of those 
great events that constitute an era in its history. 



24 

The Inauguration was to take place on the 28th of 
August. It was to occur at the time of the meeting of 
the American Association for the Advancement of 
Science, and to constitute its great feature of attraction. 
To it, the Trustees had looked forward with intense 
interest. It brought with it, it is true, some reasons 
for sadness. It came with hopes unfulfilled, and expecta- 
tions disappointed. Of all the splendid promises made 
by Dr. Gould, and the brilliant visions which he had kept 
before their eyes, not a single one was realized. No Transit, 
no Meridian Circle, nor any other instrument attracted 
the admiration of the scientific world. No marvelously 
constructed clock, noiselessly recorded the accurate pas- 
sage of time, as it was chimed forth from the "belfries of 
the skies." No " time ball" fell in the great commercial 
emporium. No bond of ever acting sympathy, linked 
together the clocks of Rochester, Buffalo, Troy and 
Albany. No railroad station exhibited to the scientific 
members, on their way, any evidence that the trains 
upon which they traveled, were deriving their time from 
the Dudley Observatory. The Observatory itself 
had the appearance of a ruin. The walls of both wings 
were open to receive the piers and cap-stones, and to 
permit the working of the " Ingenious Crane," or as it 
might more properly be called, the Automaton Mason. 
Instead of leading their distinguished visitors up the 
hill, to spread before them the glories of the model 
instruments, the efforts of the Trustees were directed 
towards keeping them within the limits of the Capitol, 



25 

and the large tent, and inducing them to forget the de- 
ficiency of the real j in the brilliancy of the fanciful. 

The ceremonies of the Inauguration, despite all the 
drawbacks, were imposing and deeply interesting. The 
magnificent oration of Edward Everett, fraught with deep 
thought and impassioned eloquence — a gem, whose 
brilliancy has since flashed before the admiring eyes of 
millions on both sides of the Atlantic — was alone suffi- 
cient to make that day ever memorable in the annals of 
science. 

Dr. Gould also delivered an address, in which he gave 
evidence of the high esteem in which he then held those 
Trustees,- whose promptness to follow his advice, and 
whose reliance on his promises, had been so marked 
and gratifying. He alluded to one member of the Board, 
in the following glowing language : 

" And now I come to the mention of a name whose sympathetic 
influence calls up all the generous feelings of the heart ; a name 
which I cannot lightly utter, for it belongs to a man whom to 
know is to love, and to mention is hut to praise. It is his, whose 
agency is evident in all good works ; whose thoughtfulness is con- 
spicuous in all kindly actions ; his, to whom is, in great part, due 
the establishment of many a noble institution in this city of his 
adoption and his love, forming an imperishable monument of his 
public spirit ; his, whose efforts were among the most untiring in 
behalf of the University ; his, whose mild and gentle persuasive- 
ness, whose modest, retiring, disinterested zeal, conferred on this 
Association a priceless boon, under the form of asking one, when 
he persuaded it to disregard all precedent, by returning after the 
expiration of a single lustrum, and holding now, for the second 
time, its session in this great-hearted Capital. There is no need 
of saying that this name is James H. Armsby. God bless him ! 
for he is blessing God's earth, and the world is better that ho 
lives in it !" 



26 

Of the President, he spoke in the fol owing terms of 
admiration : 

" The Meridian Circle and the Transit instrument were ordered 
in Berlin. They are of unsurpassed magnitu le, and of a new 
construction, the chief points of which have already been pre- 
sented to the physical section of the Association, which has this 
day adjourned. And it was my high privilege , on that occasion, 
to become the vehicle of the public announcement, that the Trus- 
tees, at the instance of the Scientific Council had given to that 
new and exquisitely beautiful Meridian Circle, the honored name 
of Olcott, which is already engraved upor it, in deep and 
ineffaceable characters, to endure so long as tie instrument itself 
exists. Not that the name needed the chisel, but that the Trus- 
tees felt it due to themselves to find some oudet for their over- 
flowing admiration and respect." 

He gave elaborate descriptions of th i several instru- 
ments he had ordered in Europe, not o le of which had 
arrived. He also spoke of the Heliom iter he had or- 
dered of Mr. Spencer, in the following t >rms : 

" The great Dudley Heliometer, (for which Mrs. Dudley, who 
had so munificently raised her $6,0l)0 to $8,0' 30, has now raised 
the $8,000 to $14,000,) is to be built by our co 1 ntryman, Spencer, 
here, in this city of Albany. Ladies and gentL men, let me assure 
you, here, in the presence of these five thousand witnesses, on this 
solemn occasion, with the full sense of the responsibility before 
the whole scientific world which the declaration entails, let me 
say to you, that the Trustees of the Dudley Observatory will 
never regret it." 

The Trustees have been informed that a rough draw- 
ing of the Heliometer was made in January last, but 
the work of construction has not yet been com- 
menced. Still the Trustees have the comforting 
assurance of Dr. Gould, with the full sense of his 
responsibility before the whole scientific world, that 
they will never regret the order he gave to the intended 
maker. 



27 

In the same t peech, Dr. Gould says : 

" The enlargen 3nt of the "building needs but a few weeks for 
its completion. I y that time, the meridian instruments will have 
arrived, and the el ocks will be sending their mystic signals to all 
the dials, even as l he Corning Clock now ticks above my head." 

It required sjreat boldness, and a most unenviable 
indifference to ruth, to enable any man to make such a 
statement, in t le presence of such an audience. That 
the deception n tight be the more complete, the speaker, 
when he allude 1 to the " Corning Clock," turned signi- 
ficantly to a cl )ck exhibited by Mr. Gavit, upon the 
rear of the pla form. 

In September, 1856, another important event occur- 
red. Mr. 01co~ t gave a further donation, of ten thou- 
sand dollars, tc the Observatory. The news was com- 
municated to ti e Scientific Council, and drew forth the 
following response from Prof. Bache : 

Mount Desert, Maine, 
Sept. 20, 1856. 

My Dear Sir: The announcement of Mr. Olcott's liberal dona- 
tion to the Observatory, has filled me with delight, and I cannot 
refrain from sitting down and expressing it to you, since it over- 
flows and will not be kept from running over. In point of fact, 
I know, the donation is not one-fifth of Mrs Dudley's. But I 
cannot help considering, that, all circumstances considered, it is 
many, many times as great. Will Gen. Van Rensselaer — will 
Mr. Corning — will others like them, stand still and see this liber- 
ality, unmoved ? It ought not to be ! Will it be, my dear 
Doctor ? Ever truly yours, 

Dr. J. H. Amsbij. A. D. BACHE. 

Dr. Gould, writing also from Mount Desert, Sept. 

the 18th, indulges in similar expressions of gratitude. 

"Your letter brought the first tidings of Mr. Olcott's noble 
gift. A greater one, in truth, than Mrs. Dudley's. It is a 
privilege to be c< rnected, in any way, with such men ; a high 
privilege, and I feel it deeply as such. I want to write to Mr. 



28 

Olcott, to tell him how much we honor him, not merely for this 
munificence, but for all his noble deeds. And yet how feeble is 
anything one can say." 

About the same time. Messrs. J. F. Rathbone and Wm. 
H. De Witt raised their donations, respectively, to 
$5,500 and $3,000. 

These encouraging events gave new zeal to the Coun- 
cil, and Prof. Bache, writing on September 22, says : 

" Now that matters have gone so far at Albany, why not, (I 
know you will, though I ask the question,) consult Dr. Gould 
about all the details ? I would not now move a peg without his 
advice. This, I am sure, is your sentiment, and I will at once 
talk to the Doctor." 

On the 16th of September, Dr. Gould wrote to the 
Trustees, that he had arranged for a youth, in the employ 
of the U. S. Coast Survey, to come to Albany to assist 
Dr. Peters. He says: " The youth is a mere boy — only 
seventeen, or thereabouts — but ready to aid in any way 
he can, and so, I doubt not, will be of some service to 
Dr. Peters." 

This "mere boy," only seventeen years of age, is one 
of the young gentlemen on the hill. He is now pro- 
nounced, after the lapse of two years, not only a finish- 
ed astronomer, but to be over twenty-one years of age ! 

In October, the plans for a dwelling-house were first 
considered. In reference to the location of the building 
Dr. G-ould wrote as follows : 

" As for the location of the house, of course you will judge. 
My views were simply founded on personal opinion. Whatever 
you decide on, I will aid to the best of my ability. When you 
ask for my opinion, I give it without reserve, and without any 
intention of taking it amiss, if you decide otherwise." 



29 

In October, Dr. Gould wrote to the President : "Mr. 
Clark brought in his bill to-day for $250, for the cornet 
seeker. I have approved it and sent it to you." The 
bill was immediately paid. 

The liberal donations in September appeared to have 
revived the interest felt by the Scientific Council in the 
affairs of the Observatory. On the 22nd of October, 
Prof. Bache wrote to the Trustees, from Xew-York : "Is 
it not time for the Trustees of the Dudley to ask Dr. 
Gould to take temporary charge, so as to have the bene- 
fit of his advice officially, in what is going on ? He can- 
not, of course, accept permanently any connection until 
we see how matters turn out." 

This pause to see "how matters turn out," was neces- 
sary, because Dr. Gould was endeavoring to obtain a 
more lucrative Professorship, in Columbia College ; in 
which, however, as the public are aware, he was unsuc- 
cessful. 

On the 24th of October, Prof. Bache deemed it prudent 

again to remind the Trustees of his suggestion, that Dr. 

Gould should be appointed Director of the Observatory, 

and excused himself for thus interfering, by referring to 

the extreme modesty of Dr. Gould, in all matters relating 

to himself personally. He writes : 

" Dr. Gould is so extremely delicate in all that relates to per- 
sonal matters, that I have always found it difficult, in my official 
intercourse, to know what he desires, even when I was aDxious to 
have my cue from him. This is why I spoke of the directorship." 

About this time. Dr. Gould urged the Trustees to pur- 
chase a calculating machine, of the achievements of 



so 

which he had spoken very enthusiastically. Neither 
Transit, Meridian circle, Chronographs, Clocks or Dials, 
in all of which large investments had been already 
made, were received, and nothing was in working 
order. Great as was their respect for science, and 
entire as was their confidence in their scientific ad- 
visers, they could not always repress the regret and 
disappointment they felt, that, as yet, so little that 
was visible or practical, had been accomplished. Still, 
they retained their confidence in Dr. Gould, and gave 
their consent that he should purchase " the calculating 
machine," although the funds of the Observatory scarcely 
justified the expense. In a letter written on the 2d 
of November, after expressing the satisfaction which 
the determination of the Trustees afforded him, he says: 
"It is -a long, long cherished hope of mine." He pro- 
posed that Mr. J. F. Rathbone's previously subscribed 
$5,000, should be appropriated to this purchase. To 
this, also, the Trustees assented. Writing again on the 
7th of November, he says : 

In securing the calculating engine, I see the inauguration of a 
new era, for which the world will be indebted to Mr. Rathbone 
and the Dudley Observatory. The invention has long been made, 
and only the self-reliance was needed, which should induce an 
institution to adopt it, and put it into action. It is like the 
steamboat for navigation — the computer's locomotive. 

The Trustees will not attempt to justify themselves 
for permitting an expenditure, so obviously injudi- 
cious. The " machine " had been exhibited and 
held for sale, both in Paris and in London, without find- 
ing a purchaser. Its utility had yet to be demonstrated. 



31 

Not another Observatory in the world had ventured to 
invest the amount required, in such an experiment. It 
was left for the Trustees of the Dudley Observatory, 
led on by a blind confidence in Dr. Gould, to expend 
their money in this novel adventure. The "machine" 
was purchased in December, at a cost of five thousand 
dollars. It arrived in April, 185*7, but was laid aside 
for more than twelve months, when it brought forth a 
column of printed figures, and the Trustees were 
charged two hundred dollars for "bringing it into use." 
Near the close of November, 1856, the Transit instru- 
ment, which was to be furnished by the Coast Survey, 
and to have been in active work in the preceding August, 
was received. It was laid away in its boxes, and has 
never since been disturbed. 

In the fall of 1856, Messrs. Olcott and Armsby con- 
ceived the purpose of appealing to the merchants, 
underwriters and friends of Science, in New York. 
Writing to Mr. Olcott on this subject, in November, 
Prof. Baehe says : " Most heartily do I wish you suc- 
cess in your noble and untiring efforts, and only regret 
that I cannot do something to assist you in them." 
In a letter to Dr. Armsby, he writes : 

Yours of the 27th was received this morning. It seems to 
me that the proposition to present the Observatory matter to the 
city of New- York, and the way in which you propose to do it, 
is a very good one. 

Dr. Gould, writing at the same time, on the same 

subject, says: 

I shall be most anxious to hear of the results of next week, in 
New- York. Your and Mr. Olcott's hopefulness are a strong basis 



32 

for faith, and the only one we have found. But when your zeal 
and persuasiveness is [are] brought to bear conjointly with his wise 
and discreet knowledge of man, and experience, what may we not 
hope ? 

Although the funds of the Observatory already ex- 
ceeded anything that had originally been contemplated, 
yet these efforts to increase the endowment, were deemed 
essential, in consequence of the repeated assurances of 
Dr. Gould, that more funds were required to secure the 
objects of the Observatory. 

The New York Times, having published an article hint- 
ing at a New-York Observatory, Prof. Bache, writing 
under date of the 13th of December, says : 

That article will help you, by showing New-Yorkers that 
there is a deeper depth than that into which you wish the Gotham 
liberalities to plunge. If any man says, ' I will wait for the New- 
York Observatory,' do you say, ' we are collecting for that also. 
How much shall we put you down for ? In the meantime, if that 
should fail, give us the promise of half that sum.' 

On the 21st of December, 1856, Prof. Bache again 
wrote to Mr. Olcott, expressing his satisfaction that the 
latter agreed with him, in thinking it unnecessary to 
take notice of the article in the New- York Times. 
He says : 

To take issue with an Editor, ignorant of matters of science, 
would be undignified, and hardly help our cause. He would be 
sure to have the last word, and the less he knows the better ; for 
he could go on in such a strain as that article forever. 

About this time the Trustees were preparing to issue 
the Inauguration pamphlet. Dr. Gould being very 
desirous of having it entirely correct, wrote to amend 
Mr. Everett's spelling of certain names. He also 
requested, as a personal favor, that inasmuch as his 



33 

own name was mentioned but twice in the oration, it 
might be entirely omitted; or if that was not possible, 
that it should be inserted simply as " Mr. Gould," as 
he did not desire to be identified in any manner with 
Mr. Everett, or to figure in the company of Mr. Eve- 
rett's "heroes." The Trustees did not feel authorised 
to make any changes in Mr. Everett's oration at Dr. 
Gould's request, which was conveyed in the following 
letter : 

To-day I saw Mr. Everett's authorized edition of his address, 
advertised in the papers, and procured one. I had supposed that 
the Boston edition was for private distribution. Glancing over 
it, I have seen allusions to myself, by name, twice ; once, page 
15, and again, page 33, note — and I will beg you earnestly, as 
a personal favor, to have it omitted in the Observatory edition, 
inasmuch as its publication there would be extremely unwelcome 
to me. Will you provide for it, and thus greatly oblige me? If 
Mr. Everett's conscience does not permit him to omit the ack- 
nowledgment, page 33, which I would much prefer, the whole 
name might, at any rate, be abridged into plain, " Mr. Gould.'" 
I beg this earnestly, for it is a matter of feeling loith me. 

Do not forget, too, in the printing, that Herchel's name has 
but one I in it. It occurs pages 18, 36, 37, 38, 39, 44, 45. Two 
of his heroes, page 40, also have their names spelt wrong ; but 
the mistakes will not be recognized abroad, to the discredit of 
the Observatory, as the mis-spelling of Herchel's name could not 
fail to be. 

I have telegraphed and written to Mr. Hague, and hope that 
all will yet go well, both on the hill and with the new firm. 
Ever faithfully yours, 

B. A. GOULD, Jr. 

On the 31st of December, 1856, Dr. Gould writes to 

acknowledge the receipt of a draft, from the Trustees. 

On this occasion he says : 

Before the time signals can be given, the Transit instrument, 
at least, must be in active employment, the Clocks going, and a 
neiv telegraph wire laid to New York city. In so important a 
matter, it would be too much risked, to trust to any line where we 
could be interrupted. 

5 



34 

The necessity for a new telegraph line, from Albany to 
New York, was, to the Trustees, a startling proposition. 
It created great surprise. Certainly, it could not have 
entered into Dr. Gould's calculation, when he so con- 
fidently promised that time should be transmitted 
regularly to New-York city, and to all the railroads, 
on and after the 28th day of the preceding August. 

The efforts of the Trustees to raise funds, seemed 
now to promise so well, that the Scientific Council 
were animated with new zeal. On the 31st of Decem- 
ber, Prof. Bache writes from Washington, in the follow- 
ing flattering terms, to Mr. Olcott : 

Science, which, has no house — world-wide in its dwelling — will 
wish you many happy years. I should not wonder if, captivated 
by Mr. Olcott and Dr. Armsby, she gave up her wanderings, and 
consented to abide in Albany. What you write is indeed cheering. 
Persevering efforts ! You deserve to succeed. I should not 
wonder if astronomers put you among the planets yet ! — moving 
so steadily, so undisturbed by small causes, so right to the pre- 
dicted point ! 

The year 1857, opened with a gratifying increase of 

subscriptions, secured mainly through the energy of the 

President and Secretary of the Board of Trustees. As 

others have claimed the credit of obtaining these 

subscriptions, it may be as well to give a few of the 

letters received about this time : 

[From Geerit Smith, Esq.] 

Thos. W. Olcott, Esq. : My Dear Sir — On my return from 
Albany, last evening, I found your letter of the 21st inst. My 
prompt response to this beautiful letter, is my draft for $1,000. 

[From A. A. Low, Esq., New-York.] 

Thos. W. Olcott, Esq. : Dear Sir — The pamphlet sent by 
you has interested me, and the Treasurer of the Dudley Observa- 



35 

tory is hereby authorised to draw on me for 81,000, in aid of the 
fund. 

[From "Wir. F. Astor, Esq., New York.] 

Thos. W. Olcott, Esq. : My Bear Sir — I propose to con- 
tribute 81,000 to the Dudley Observatory fund, and request you 
to be pleased to inform me whether I shall send a check to you, 
or to whom, for that amount. 

[From Robert Dexlop, Esq.] 

Thos. W. Olcott, Esq. : Bear Sir — I have your favor of the 
4th. I enclose my note for 8500, for the Dudley Observatory. 

[From John G-reig, Esq.] 

Thos. AY. Olcott, Esq. : My Bear Sir — I am much obliged 
to you for your letter of the 10th inst., and for the accompanying 
documents regarding the Dudley Observatory ; and I beg leave 
to enclose you a draft, on the Albany City Bank, for 81,000, which 
I request you to accept from me, as a contribution towards carry- 
ing into effect that great and glorious enterprise, the success of 
which will tend so much to the advancement of science, and to 
your own honor, as one of its most liberal promoters. 

A score of similar letters might be given; but as 
these are a specimen of all the rest, it is deemed 
unnecessary. 

On the 15th of January, 1857, Prof. Bache writes: 
"Your subscriptions grow in number, indeed. May 
they reach your highest figure !" 

On the 2d of March, Dr. Gould, as if still anxious to 
keep up the courage and confidence of the Trustees, 
although no apparent progress was making, writes from 
Cambridge : " Everything seems to be going most sat- 
isfactorily, and hastening towards completion. I have 
heard from our clock, which was completed, all but 
the "putting together." 

Nearly a year and a half has since elapsed, and 
the clock has not yet been " put together !" 



36 

About the same date, Dr. Gould writes : "I have 
been over-running my authority, by purchasing the 
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of 
London, from the Astor Library. I send by this mail 
a draft on you for $343.75, which includes the expenses 
of boxing." 

The draft, as usual, was immediately paid ; but the 
Observatory building was not then in order. 

A few days later, Dr. Gould writes: " I have drawn 
on you, in favor of Mr. Farmer, for $250. He came 
out, saying he was in need of money, suddenly, to meet 
a note." 

The draft was immediately paid; but the money was 
not due, nor were the Chronographs or clocks finished 
until May, 1858. 

A few days later, he writes : " We shall have to be 
making comparatively heavy demands upon you soon 
for the dome work, observing chairs, &c, &c, which 
are essentials." 

At the same time, it is proper to state that Dr. Gould 
evinced commendable interest in the pecuniary affairs 
of the Institution; for, in one letter, he asks: "How 
have your donations run up, since February 23d ?" 
And in another, he anxiously enquires : "How come on 
the legislative appropriation, and the donations ? Has 
there been anything more from New- York, in the pecu- 
niary line ?" 

These enquiries were, doubtless, promptly responded 
to j but, at the same time, the Trustees could not but 



37 

eel, that it was time that some practical results should 

be realized. Not a single contract had been fulfilled. 

Not a solitary promise had been redeemed. It will not 

be thought surprising, therefore, that at this period, 

one of the Trustees should have ventured to write a 

letter to Dr. Gould, which drew forth the following 

reply : 

Shall I tell you, my dear sir, how much your letter has 
grieved me ? At first I thought I would not, for I am sure you 
would not willingly give me pain. But the implied reproach was 
not deserved. Hopefulness is a compound of enthusiasm and ex- 
perience, and for the most part not within our control. If so 
little progress is making, as you think, I am sorry it should he 
needful to assure you that it is no fault of mine. Remembering 
these things, and, also, that it is but a small part of all the labor 
that makes itself manifest in the form of results, you should not, 
I think, be disposed to censure me for lukewarmncss ; and if I 
could not claim that your censure is ill deserved, I might plead 
nervous exhaustion, in extenuation of a great deal of remissness ; 
and if you palliate those who have behaved so badly, by assuming 
that they ha^e done the best they could, surely you will not deny 
as much to me. 

Complaints had only been drawn forth from the 
Trustees, by a painful sense of duty. Large sums of 
money had been invested in the Observatory ; more was 
daily asked, by the Trustees, from a liberal public. But 
they felt the embarrassment of soliciting donations for 
an institution, on behalf of which such flattering pro- 
mises had been publicly made, and which had, as yet, 
accomplished no results, that could be urged as a claim 
on popular favor and support. They felt, too, that 
those who had kindly volunteered advice and counsel 
on all scientific matters, and who displayed so much feel- 
ing when their suggestions were not carried out to the 
very letter, might, while pressing upon the Trustees 



38 

the necessity of a more liberal endowment of the Insti- 
tution, make an effort to supply them with some sort of 
claim upon the public liberality. The Trustees knew 
well enough that extravagant promises of what might 
one day be accomplished for science, would not enlist 
public sympathy and aid so effectually, as some practical 
results ; and they began to realize the fact, that these 
"practical results" were not likely to be secured by 
paper bulletins, issued at a . distance of some two 
hundred miles from the scene of action. 

The reader may well pause here and enquire what 
ought the Trustees, at this time, to have done ? They 
had thus far relied upon promises, made by a volunteer 
adviser ; they had waited nearly twelve months, and 
were then apparently more distant than ever, from the 
fulfilment of their expectations. What ought they to 
have done ? 

What they did do, was to accept Dr. Gould's excuses, 
and, hoping for the best, continue on as before. The 
Trustees have no desire to shield themselves from the 
censure which this course is likely to draw upon them, 
from men of common sense and business habits. 

On the 22d of April, Dr. Gould writes to Mr. Olcott, ex- 
pressing his conviction that the Observatory must be 
conducted, not only with a view to " its results for 
astronomy, and the laws which govern the celestial 
hosts," but, also, as a means of " attracting, enlisting, 
and concentrating, lovers and patrons of science." The 



39 

Trustees, it is perhaps needless to say, were then, and 

remain now, of the same opinion. 

Dr. Gould also seems to have appreciated, at this 

time, the value of " practical results ;" for he writes : 

" To-day's Astronomical Journal, No. 102, contains the ' first 
fruits ' of the Observatory — the first published observations made 
there, in the form of observations, in two nights, of one of the 
comets now visible, made by Dr. Peters, with the small instrw 
ment, which was exhibited by Mr. Clark, at the meeting of the 
Association, in August. It has illustrated the need of star cata- 
logues so much, that I have taken steps towards providing the 
most important and needful."' 

The Trustees were rejoiced at these " first fruits" of 
the Observatory. Before this, Dr. Peters, by his evi- 
dent anxiety to bring the Observatory instruments into 
practical use, by his earnest zeal in the science to 
which he is devoted, and by his unobtrusive and win- 
ning manners, had gained their esteem and confidence ; 
and they observed, with deep regret, a disposition to 
interpose unnecessary obstacles, in the way of his suc- 
cess. 

In the early part of May, Dr. Gould visited Albany, 
for a few days. Writing, on his return, to one of the 
Trustees, he says : 

" Of course it was you who settled my bill at the Delavan, 
although they would not tell me at the office. It was of a piece 
with your constant thoughtfulness and generosity, but had I sus- 
pected you, I would have headed you oft." 

It may be supposed, at first, that this incident can 
have no connection with the history of events at the 
Dudley Observatory ; and the good taste of introducing 
this extract may be questioned. But when it is remem- 
bered that the Trustees, and especially the one to whom 



40 

the letter was written, have been charged with offering 
every possible annoyance and obstruction to Dr. Gould, 
at this very time ; when it is borne in mind, that in a 
report to the Scientific Council, in December, 1857, Dr. 
Gould asserts that, for a year past, he has been subject 
to " continual interference " and "personal annoyance" 
from the Trustees, and has since declared that his bed 
in Albany had been "a bed of thorns," the reason and 
propriety of this quotation will at once be conceded. 

On the 19th of May, 1857, Dr. Gould writes to one of 
the Trustees: "Your kind enclosure of $300 has come 
to hand, and I have to thank you very much for your 
thoughtfulness. It will more than cover the present 
proportion of deficit. Your letter was sweet, but very 
short." 

This remittance, sent to him by Dr. Armsby, was to 
relieve Dr. Gould from what was represented as his 
personal loss in the publication of the Astronomical 
journal. It was another of the " thorns " in his Albany 
"bed." 

A few days later, Dr. Gould wrote as follows : "About 
the house, (to be erected, in connection with the 
Observatory,) I have no preference, and am desirous 
of leaving it entirely with you, if you will forgive my 
shirking the trouble. The only reasons for selecting 
wood, were the supposed greater cheapness of the 
material and rapidity of erection ; but though the 
question of durability may be secondary, the fire-proof- 
ness is certainly very important." 



41 

On the 20th of June, Dr. Gould writes to the President : 
11 The work upon the hill is apparently going on well. I 
trust that your arrangements will be as fruitful and 
successful as they are wisely and judiciously devised. 
Enclosed is a draft for $129.50, the purchase money of a 
set of books for the Observatory, which are daily due 
in New- York." 

The money for the draft was remitted on the day 
after the receipt of the letter. 

In the meantime, Dr. Peters, the resident Observer at 
the Institution, being unable to bring the great instru- 
ments into use, applied himself to his science with such 
as were at his command. 

On the 25th of July, 1857, the Olcott comet was 
discovered by Dr. Peters. The importance of this 
discovery was, at the time, appreciated and acknowl- 
edged by the late Director, and Scientific Council. Dr. 
Gould, in a letter dated Cambridge, August 4th, 185*7 
says: " It is a very pretty idea to give the comet the 
esteemed name of the excellent Mr. OlcottP This was 
before the late remarkable discovery by the Scientific 
Council, that the "ridiculous procedure" of thus naming 
the comet, was "entirely unwarranted by astronomical 
usage." The latter fact, although unknown to Dr. 
Gould, had not, it seems, escaped the research of his 
greater astronomical associates. The late Director was 
so highly gratified, that in another letter to a gentle- 
man in this city, dated August 5th, 1857, he gives some 
6 



42 

hints for bringing the comet into notice, through items 
that would be " snapped up by the press." He says : 

" Little notices of a few lines, conveying, each of them, some 
information relative to the comet, will be snapped up and run 
round the press, as items, when puffs would not ; and it will be 
easy, with care, so to frame the language of a little paragraph, 
every two or three days, as to keep it before the public, without 
offending the tastes of scientific men. For instance, one para- 
graph could state that it is approaching both the sun and the 
earth, and will be nearest the one on such a day, and the other on 
such another time. Later, another paragraph might say how 
bright it is likely to become. Later still, that it passes so many 
millions of miles from the earth, at its nearest approach. If it 
ever shovjs a tail. This is an interesting fact And into every 
one of these paragraphs, the name of the Dudley Observatory may 
be unostentatiously introduced, so as not to give the paragraphs 
the appearance of a puff, written for the purpose." 

The discovery of the comet was soon heralded forth 
through the press. In these notices, as was natural, 
the name of the discoverer was mentioned, and much 
praise was awarded to him. It was not, of course, 
suspected at the time, that Scientists were so far 
liable to the feelings and frailties of common humanity, 
that the credit won by one astronomer could prove gall 
and wormwood to another. How the discovery which 
had rewarded the long night watchings, and the zeal 
and energy of Dr. Peters, could be suddenly trans- 
ferred to the " masterly inactivity" of Dr. Gould, and 
thus create him the discoverer of the " fourth comet of 
1857," neither the Trustees nor the Press could under- 
stand. But, however this may be, the zeal shown by 
Dr. Peters, and his entire devotion to his favorite 
science, hod given him a claim upon the regard of the 
people of Albany, who had witnessed with surprise and 



43 

mortification, the inefficiency which so distinctly cha- 
racterized the plans and arrangements of Dr. Gould. 

On the 21st of September, Dr. Gould, writing from 
Cambridge, says that nothing can be done now on the 
clocks and dials, in consequence of Mr. Farmer's sick- 
ness, and adds: "Now I suppose we must make up 
our minds to rest awhile on our oars; for in the present 
frightful pecuniary crisis, it will be futile to anticipate 
donations." 

Surprised at the tenor and tone of this letter, and 
believing that in place of keeping up the continued cry 
of " Give! Give !" some effort should be made to obtain 
some useful results from the large amount of money 
already collected and expended, the Trustees felt con- 
strained to express their disapprobation of this proposed 
" stop policy." 

It may again be asked, why the Trustees did not 
take measures to terminate the " resting upon the oars," 
already too long protracted. They had a practical 
Observer in Albany, ready to prosecute, faithfully and 
diligently, the Observatory work. His efforts were 
rendered fruitless by the restraining check held over 
him by an unofficial "head," exercising authority at a 
distance, and discouraging all work save that " in the 
pecuniary line ;" prolific in promises, too, and barren 
in performance. What ought the Trustees to have 
done? 

They wrote to their scientific advisers, and protesting 
earnestly against any suspension of activity at the 



44 

Observatory, urged and entreated them to proceed with 
the work. In the same letter, they called the atten- 
tion of Dr. Gould to the fact, that some little money 
might be obtained from an insurance upon the barome- 
ters and thermometers, which had been broken on their 
passage, if the claim should be properly pressed. Dr. 
Gould, tm the 3d of October, writes as follows : 

" That barometer matter it belonged of course to me to see 
about; and it lias not been forgotten at a.uy time. But, expecting 
Mr. Gavitto act in the premises, delicacy prevented me from doing 
more than ask a question now and then, and I was under the 
impression that he was taking steps in the premises. 

" If you feel so earnestly about the suspension of activity at 
the Observatory, it shall not be shut up, if I can help it. Since 
I saw you, both Professors Bache and Henry have been here, and 
together with Pierce, we have had various talks about the Observa- 
tory. We find ourselves entirely unanimous on the subject. 
But while all entertain the same views which I expressed to you, 
adverse to any commencement upon an inadequate scale, and 
favorable to the policy of aivaiting a new flood tide, we yet will 
none of us urge the closing up entirely, while you feel so 
strongly opposed to it as I infer from your letter. Consequently, 
I feel sure that Prof. Bache will authorise me to keep some one 
of my party there. 

" There will be some difficulty in finding opportunity to train 
Observers ; and those already accustomed to the use of the class of 
astronomical instruments which we ought to employ, are rare in 
this country, as yet. There are some advantages in employing 
foreigners, but these are usually more than counterbalanced by 
corresponding evils. Furthermore, it is a little difficult to 
devise legitimate Coast Survey work, which can be done there 
without mounting the great instruments, and I would earnestly 
dissuade from this." 

It will not be difficult to imagine the surprise and 
astonishment with which the Trustees received this 
communication. They remembered the promises made 
by their scientific advisers, and upon which the whole 
arrangements between the Coast Survey and the Obser- 
vatory were based. They recalled the promises made by 



45 

their principal adviser, which had been sanctioned and 
confirmed by the other members of the Council, before 
the Inauguration, at the Inauguration, and since that 
event. They thought of the large amount of money, then 
reaching over $50,000, that had been devoted to the 
Observatory, and expended precisely as the advisory 
council had recommended ; and of the fact that Prof. 
Mitchell had designed commencing practical opera- 
tions at the Institution with $25,000, which he had 
declared enough for a useful beginning. And they 
now found the men, upon whose promises and scientific 
counsel they had relied, anxious to "close up" the 
Observatory, and only consenting, upon the earnest 
entreaties and expostulations of the Trustees, that, as a 
mere show of life, some one subordinate of the Coast 
Survey — -a doorkeeper, perhaps — should be left at the 
Institution. They learned, too, with surprise — and not 
without some indignation — that the instruments in which 
they had invested so much — and to secure which with the 
least possible delay, Dr. Gould had been sent to Europe ; 
which were to have been actively employed, according 
to his own repeated promises, more than a year before, 
and which were to have brought into the treasury of 
the Observatory a very respectable and gratifying 
income, were not to be mounted at all, or if mounted, 
would not be available until Observers could be properly 
trained to use them. Was Dr. Gould himself, then, 
incompetent to use these instruments, was their first 
natural enquiry. Had they been making all these 



46 

investments at the suggestion of these advisers, only to 
be told that the instruments secured, were now of no 
practical use ? And where, if a suspension of opera- 
tions was to take place, were Observers to be trained 
to the use of those instruments? Certainly, this neces- 
sary initiatory step could not be taken, while the Observ- 
atory was •" closed up," and the instruments remained 
in the cases in which they had originally been packed. 
And yet, without consulting with the Trustees, this 
was the course which had been decided upon, by the 
Scientific Council. 

About this time, a letter was addressed by the Presi- 
dent of the Board, to Prof. Bache, in which the facts 
that had been brought to the notice of Dr. Gould 
were urged upon his attention, and he was appealed to, 
to say whether the progress Dr. Gould had made at the 
Observatory, was such as the promises held forth had 
warranted the Trustees in anticipating. His reply was 
as follows : 

" I am not conscious that, in my engagements, I have forgotten 
the encouragement given to you to act in regard to the Dudley 
Observatory. It has so far been carried on, by the Coast Survey. 
My expectations in regard to the endowment of the Institution 
have, I dare say, been higher than, with less enthusiasm for the 
work and the men engaged in it, I should have entertained. 
Nevertheless, I cannot reproach myself with any want of frank- 
ness. We have all labored disinterestedly and with some energy, 
you most emphatically so. If our expectations have not been 
realized on either side, I doubt whether saying so to each other 
will advance the ends we have in prospect. I know it is so with 
myself, for I feel the last paragraph in your letter as casting a 
damper upon my future exertions, by the disparagement of the 
past." 

The Trustees had hoped that Prof. Bache would adopt 

a different tone, and when the grounds of complaint 



4Y 

against Dr. Gould were brought to his knowledge, that 
he would have at least urged upon that gentleman, 
who was his subordinate in the Coast Survey, greater 
zeal and efficiency in the prosecution of the Observa- 
tory enterprize. They regretted to find that the charges 
against Dr. Gould were declared to be " dampers " 
upon the " future exertions " of Prof. Bache. 

On the 6th of November, Prof. Bache wrote to Dr. 
Peters, ordering that gentleman to leave Albany forth- 
with, and report himself at Cambridge. Dr. Gould, on 
the same day, wrote to a Trustee : " Prof. Bache has 
decided to detach Dr. Peters from my party. In the 
wisdom and policy of this course, I cannot but coincide." 

The Trustees viewed the matter in a different light, 
and looked with dismay at the recall of Dr. Peters from 
the Observatory, for what appeared to them very in- 
sufficient reasons. His work at the Observatory had 
been prosecuted with diligence and success. Nor could 
they sympathize in the apparent jealousy which 
seemed to have been excited by the terms of com- 
mendation in which the public press had spoken of 
Dr. Peters. The removal had the effect which might 
have been anticipated. The manner in which it was 
done, and the motives which prompted it, were alike 
unworthy of the character of the men who were 
engaged in it. Dr. Peters could not, with honor or self- 
respect, longer retain his position in the Coast Survey. 
He at once tendered his resignation, which was accepted, 
to take place on the first of the following December. 



48 

On the 10th of November, 1857, the Meridian Circle 
arrived, and was laid away in its boxes, with the 
Transit instrument, which had remained unopened for 
about a year. Both instruments, Dr. Gould had 
promised to have mounted nearly a year and a half 
before. Torpidity and inaction marked this epoch in 
the history of the Observatory. 

But neither the Trustees, nor the citizens of Albany 
who felt an interest in the welfare of the Observatory, 
were willing thus to be deprived of the services of Dr. 
Peters. An appeal was made to Professor Bache, and 
he was urged to allow him to continue in Albany. But 
the appeal was ineffectual. The Professor was inexo- 
rable. The offence of Dr. Peters consisted solely in 
his unwillingness to remove from Albany, even after the 
Superintendent of the Coast Survey had, as he says, 
" taken the unusual course of explaining to a subordi- 
nate his motives for official action." The offence was 
deemed unpardonable. Prof. Bache writes : "Loyalty 
in a subordinate, my dear sir, is an essential quality, 
and no knowledge or talent can compensate for the want 
of it" 

The Trustees are quite conscious of the fact that this 
same man, accustomed to the exercise of arbitrary 
power, and not over-scrupulous in the selection of the 
means with which to accomplish his ends, is now en- 
gaged in a resolute attempt to subject them to a similar 
course of discipline for their " insubordination." As 
suming a most unwarrantable official superiority, he 



49 

would now visit upon the Trustees the same condign 
punishment which he so unrelentingly meted out to the 
inoffensive Peters. His proverbial sagacity was never 
more conspicuously shewn, than in the tools and instru- 
mentalities he has been able to command for this pur- 
pose. 

Dr. Gould, too, when appealed to, stood firm. He 
could see no extenuating circumstances in the case. He 
says : " Dr. Peters was appointed in consequence of my 
intercession, against Prof. Bache's inclination. Now, 
after some fifteen months, he proves disloyal, declines 
complying with instructions, and complains of being 
treated as a mere computer ; and Prof. Bache finds un- 
expectedly an enemy and detractor, where he was entitled 
to look for a grateful, devoted assistant." 

On the 20th of November, a letter from the citizens of 

Albany was presented to Dr. Peters, expressive of regret 

at his intended removal. 

To this letter Dr. Peters sent an appropriate reply. 
The extreme reluctance to part with Dr. Peters, 

induced another appeal to Prof. Bache, but without 

effect. His reply to Mr. Olcott bears date the 27th of 

November, in which he says : 

" I must begin by entering my protest against the idea that 
you occupy an humble position in the great scientific enterprise to 
which you allude. As well might the earth's polar axis attribute 
to itself an humble place in the great rotation." 

But despite his professed regard for the President, 

Prof. Bache, in his reply, grew more severe than ever in 

his denunciation of Dr. Peters, declaring that it was 

7 



50 

"contrary to his own judgment" to employ him. So 
determined was his purpose, that he seemed impatient 
that any one, even the President, for whom he professed 
to entertain so great esteem, should dare to interpose 
between Dr. Peters and the full measure of his venge- 
ance. So sensitive was the Superintendent upon this 
point, that he wrote : 

"You say in your letter 'one or two assistants under Dr. 
Peters.' Pray amend that to ' one or two assistants under Dr. 
Grould.' Unless, indeed, you — hut it would be unjust to finish, 
the sentence, and I know that it is because you are not in the 
habit of looking closely at official relations, which have been 
ground into me by a West Point Mill Stone, that you put such a 
phrase in your letter. I wish it was not there, for it adds feeling 
to my mental determination, and enlists my heart in support of 
the convictions to which my head has come." 

On the 24th of November, Dr. Gould again whites in 
denunciatory language of Dr. Peters, and adds: "We 
have all of us in the Scientific Council regarded the 
Observatory as in the hands of the Coast Survey, until 
arrangements upon a larger scale should supersede this." 

This statement is in direct conflict with the denials 
of Dr. Gould that there was any official connection be- 
tween the Observatory and the Coast Survey ; but if 
true, it tends to fix upon the Coast Survey, as well as 
Dr. Gould, the responsibility of all that inaction, ineffi- 
ciency and misconduct which have thus far marred the 
fortunes of the Observatory. 

When the 1st of December came, Dr. Gould being 
still absent from the city, Dr. Peters was requested to 
remain at the Observatory and take care of the costly 
instruments and property there, until other arrangements 
could be made. 



51 

On the 9 tli of December, Prof. Pierce came to Albany, 
and at a meeting of some of the Trustees and friends 
of the Observatory, the importance, the necessity even, 
of taking immediate steps to mount the instruments 
and commence operations, in reference to the demands 
of the public, procuring donations and obtaining legis- 
lative aid, were urged upon him. He at once yielded 
to these importunities, and agreed that the instruments 
at least should be mounted, and some active operations 
commenced, and that he would so inform Dr. Gould. 

That he did so inform him is evident from a letter of 
Dr. Gould, of the 12th of December, stating: "Prof. 
Pierce has told me of a meeting of the "friends of the 
Observatory at which he was present, and urged me to 
go on next week. I regret that the course of the 
current, which seemed running so smoothly a month ago, 
should have changed to the degree which he describes." 

On the 21st of Dec, as now appears from a recent pub- 
lication, Dr. Gould sent to his associates, in the Scien- 
tific Council, a private communication, in the form of a 
report, (of which the Trustees were entirely ignorant 
until after the publication of the " Defence of Dr. 
Gould") — a species of indictment against the Board of 
Trustees, and especially against individual members 
with whom he had been on terms of the closest inti- 
macy and friendship. The document is worthy of 
notice. It will be remembered that Dr. Gould, in 
several previous letters to the Trustees, as well as in 
the last, had professed entire satisfaction with all that 



52 

had been done by them, and had represented the " cur- 
rent" as running " smoothly " up to the time when the 
persecution of Dr. Peters commenced. In this " report," 
however, he sets forth certain " difficulties," which he 
alleges had existed " since his first connection with the 
Observatory." He complains of " continual interfer- 
ence, leading alike to very large and unnecessary outlay, 
and to results at variance with his taste and judg- 
ment;" and says: "From you and my most intimate 
friends I have not for the past year concealed this state of 
affairs" He charges one of the Trustees ; with whom 
he has been on most intimate terms, with "lavish and 
injudicious expenditures." 

When all the history of Dr. Gould's connection with 
the Observatory is borne in mind — when his letters 
from which we have quoted, making promises, drawing 
upon the funds of the Institution, ordering experimental 
instruments, and professing, not only entire satisfaction, 
but enthusiastic admiration, for the course of the 
Trustees, are remembered, what interpretation can 
be placed upon this remarkable document ? For a 
year past, while making all these promises and profes- 
sions, he had been thus slandering and maligning the 
Trustees to his most intimate friends. If facts can ever 
be significant of individual character, they must be so 
in this instance. 

About this time, much public feeling being enlisted 
in behalf of Dr. Peters, the following letters passed 
between Dr. Gould and the other members of the 



53 

Scientific Council, which, as now appears from the 
report of December 21st, already alluded to, was a mere 
formal, or Pickwickian, official correspondence, designed 
for effect : 

To the Scientific Council of the Dudley Observatory: 

Gentlemen — You are acquainted with the circumstances which 
led to the resignation of Dr. C. H. F. Peters from the Coast Sur- 
vey, the Superintendent of which had for more than a year permit- 
ted me to station him at the Dudley Observatory, as well as with 
his subsequent continuance at the Observatory, at the request of 
the Trustees of the Institution. 

The Trustees have, with great earnestness, urged me to retain 
him as one of my assistants, although I could not but express to 
them my firm conviction that such a connection could not possibly 
result in the harmonious action indispensable between the head of 
a work and his subordinates. His course toward the Coast Survey 
having been such as to impair my confidence in his trustworthi- 
ness, and hi3 subsequent action ill calculated to restore it, I could 
with propriety neither urge the Superintendent of that work to 
permit him to re-call his resignation, nor yet incur the responsi- 
bility of employing him independently, where his example might 
exert an influence upon the other assistants belonging to the same 
corps. For these two reasons, I have from the beginning declined 
to occupy the position in which compliance with this request 
would place me. 

In spite of these earnestly expressed and firmly entertained 
views, the Trustees have continued to press the step upon me, and 
with such energy and almost resistless force, that I am unwilling 
longer to rely upon my own judgment. I have, therefore, 
announced to them my intention of submitting the question to 
the Scientific Council, and of being guided by their advice. 

May I ask your views upon this matter, at an early day, in 
order to extricate me from my present embarrassment ? 

It is proper to add, that in order to yield to the known wishes 
of the Trustees, as far as possible, I invited Dr. Peters this morn- 
ing to remain in the Observatory, as assistant, "for the present," 
an invitation which he instantly declined. 

I am, gentlemen, with great respect, 
Your friend and servant, 

B. A. GOULD, Jr. 

Albany, 1857, Dec. 23d. 



54 

To this the Scientific Council replied, as follows : 

The undersigned, members of the Scientific Council of the 
Dudley Observatory, having been consulted by the Director, Dr. 
B. A. G-ould, in reference to the expediency of employing Dr. 0. 
H. F. Peters as assistant in the Observatory, are of opinion that, 
under the circumstances known to them, such an employment 
would be decidedly inexpedient, and not for the best interests of 
the Observatory and of science. 

Signed A. D. BACHE, 

JOSEPH HENRY, 
BENJAMIN PIERCE, 

Scientific Council. 

It would appear, however, that Dr. Gould was willing 
to get rid of Dr. Peters by other means than through 
the high-handed action of the Scientific Council. Only 
two days later, he addressed to that gentleman, who 
had been so recently denounced as treacherous, incom- 
petent and utterly untrustworthy, the following note : 

Cambridge, 1857, Dec. 25. 

My Dear Sir: Lieut. Parke, of the N. W. Boundary Survey, 
has written on that they desire to increase their force next spring, 
and asking for the nomination of an additional assistant, competent 
to make and compute the requisite astronomical observations. 
The compensation will range from $1,200 to $1,800 a year, not 
below the former limit certainly, and almost certain in the case of 
a thoroughly qualified person, to reach the latter figure very soon. 
Mr. Harris, who went out at $1,500, now receives $1,800. 

It occurred to me that this might be more agreeable to you than 
the analagous position which you had in view upon the Mexican 
expedition. If so, you know that any services of mine are entirely 
at your disposal; and if you desire it, I am confident that the 
appointment may be secured. 

With kind regards, yours, truly, 

B. A. GOULD, Jr. 

Dr. Peters. 

Of this letter Dr. Peters took no notice, understanding 
the spirit that dictated it. 

In the meantime the prospects of the Observatory 
grew darker every day. The donors and the public 



55 

were aware that large investments had been made, both 
in instruments and buildings ; that all the expensive 
instruments, the Transit, the Meridian Circle, the Calcu- 
lating Machine, were lying idle in the boxes in which 
they were received, not a single effort having been made 
to mount them. The two propositions of Mr.Olcott, made 
to Professor Bache, either that Dr. Gould should him- 
self come to Albany, and take immediate charge of the 
Observatory, or that his advisory character should still 
continue, and that Dr. Peters should be a resident 
Observer, his salary to be paid by the Trustees, were 
unanswered. 

Under these embarrassing circumstances some of the 
largest donors out of the Board of Trustees, with other 
citizens of Albany, began to interest themselves, urging 
the necessity of independent action ; and on the first 
day of January the Trustees received a document, of 
which the following is a copy : 

To the Trustees of the Dudley Observatory: 

The undersigned, citizens of Albany and donors to the Observ- 
atory, feeling, in common with all our citizens, a deep interest in 
the success of the Institution, beg leave to urge upon the Trus- 
tees the necessity of such action as shall insure its going into 
immediate activity. They understand that it has for some time 
past been in the possession of sufficient funds, and, for more than 
a year, of most of the instruments and apparatus necessary to 
commence a course of scientific observations. They feel that 
its future success, both in the acquisition of additional means 
and in the accomplishment of scientific results, must be essen- 
tially lessened, if not completely destroyed, by any 
farther delay. They would, therefore, beg leave to urge upon 
the consideration of the Trustees, the propriety of appointing 
Dr. C. H. F. Peters an observer, with instructions to take 
immediate steps to mount the instruments, and to proceed, with 
as little delay as possible, in commencing observations, and the 



56 

accomplishment of such scientific results, as its present means and 

facilities may enable it to do. 
Signed : 

Blandina Dudley, J. M. Lovett, 

Stephen Van Rensselaer, James Kidd, 

John F. Rathbone, Gr. Y. Lansing, 

John V. L. Pruyn, Amasa J. Parker, 

Howard Townsend, Ira Harris, 

Thurlow Weed, Anthony M. Strong, 

William Cassidy, Theodore Townsend, 

C. Comstock, Robert Townsend, 

Charles L. Austin, Frederick Townsend, 

Maurice E. Viele, Amos Dean, 

W. A. Young, S. B. Woolworth, 

J. P. Sandford, Alfred B. Street, 

J. Taylor Cooper, Philip Ten Eyck, 

Samuel Wilkeson, John Tracy, 

A. D. Lansing, Fred. W. Seward, 

Thos. Olcott, J. Y. P. Quackenbush, 

and others. 

It will be seen that at this time Messrs. S. Yan 
Rensselaer, John Y. L. Pruyn, Howard Townsend , 
John T. Cooper, and their associates, recognized not 
only the power, but the duty of the Trustees to take 
measures, by the appointment of a competent astrono- 
mer, at the Observatory, to prevent a longer continuance 
of inactivity. It will be seen, too, that they then 
recognized and urged upon the Trustees the fact that 
any further delay would essentially lessen, if not entirely 
destroy, the success of the Institution ; and that they 
fully appreciated the necessity of immediately mounting 
the instruments upon which so large an amount of money 
had been expended; from which so many brilliant results 
had been guaranteed, and which had been suffered to 
remain in their packing cases, untouched and neglected. 
Since that time, up to the dismissal of Dr. Gould, 
scarcely a step had been taken. The Observatory 



61 

had remained, as it then was, inactive. The delay 
which they then feared would completely destroy the 
success of the Institution, had been continued for six 
months longer. What, then, can be thought of the 
" consistency" of those who are now found condemning 
the very action, which, six months before, they them- 
selves had declared to be vitally essential to the very 
existence of the Institution ? 

Acting upon this request, at a meeting of the Trus- 
tees on the 9th day of January, 1858, the following 
resolutions were unanimously adopted : 

Resolved, That the Board of Trustees of the Dudley Observa- 
tory, as legal guardians of the Institution entrusted to their care, 
must claim an undivided and entire control over its property, the 
appointment of its officers, and its general policy. But while 
doing so, they most gratefully recognize the valuable co-operations 
and advice which they have received from the Scientific Council, 
and the distinguished Superintendent of the Coast Survey, and 
will ever receive, with the greatest deference and respect, the sug- 
gestions of gentlemen whose names are so illustrious in science, 
and who are so distinguished in their efforts for its advancement. 

Resolved, That the Dudley Observatory was founded for the 
advancement of astronomical science. That, under the advisement 
of its Scientific Council, superior and very costly instruments 
have been procured, to secure that object, and that its further 
endowment will be solicited for that purpose. 

Resolved, That in obedience to its own convictions of duty and 
of policy, and in compliance with the expressed wishes of so 
many of the largest donors to the Dudley Observatory, this 
Board of Trustees do hereby appoint Dr. C. H. F. Peters, as an 
Observer in this Institution. 

A copy of these resolutions being forwarded to Dr. 

Peters, that gentleman returned the following reply: 

To Dr. Jas. H. Armsby, Secretary, fyc, 

Dear Sir : I have the honor of receiving your letter convey- 
ing the resolutions of the Board of Trustees of the Dudley 
Observatory, appointing me Observer ; and gratefully accept this 
sign of confidence, with the assurance that all my efforts hence- 

8 



58 

forth, shall be dedicated to the Institution. I hope that by 
activity and zeal, I may introduce honorably the Observatory into 
the scientific world, and ever deserve the good esteem and regard 
of the Trustees. 

Yery respectfully yours, 

C. H. F. PETERS. 
Dudley Observatory, Albany, January 9, 1858. 

Official copies of the resolutions of the Trustees hav- 
ing been forwarded to the members of the Scientific 
Council, they very promptly made their appearance in 
Albany. 

It was quite obvious, that, so far as regarded the 
continuance of the relations between the Trustees and 
the Scientific Council, a crisis in the affairs of the 
Observatory had now been reached. The Trustees, 
in following the advice of Gen. Yan Rensselaer, J. 
Y. L. Pruyn, J. T. Cooper, and others, and which 
was in accordance with their own judgment, had 
appointed their own Observer, and he had signified 
his acceptance. This step, unless recalled, would, as 
urged by the Scientific Council, and admitted by all. 
operate effectually to sever the relation between the 
Trustees and the Council. The Trustees now occu- 
pied a perfectly independent position; a position they 
had assumed upon mature deliberation, and which they 
felt able to maintain. Should they have done it, and, 
if necessary, have sought other scientific associations ? 
And had they done so, what intelligent, fair-minded 
man, in view of all the facts developed in this history, 
would have found it in his heart to blame them ? 

Upon their arrival in the city, the members of the 
Scientific Council besieged the Trustees, and persistently 



59 

and earnestly entreated them to reconsider their action 
of the ninth of January. They bitterly, and, as the 
Trustees believed, very unjustly assailed Dr. Peters, 
both in his private character, as a man of honor, and in 
his public standing, as a man of science. Their personal 
influence with the Trustees, and their reputation as 
scientific men, were brought to bear against the newly 
appointed Observer. It was represented, to them by 
the Trustees, that Dr. Gould had greatly exceeded his 
authority and misunderstood his relations towards the 
Trustees, in refusing to recognize Dr. Peters as their 
employee, and demanding from him possession of the 
Observatory, which they had placed in "his keeping; 
The Council asked for a hearing for Dr. Gould, which 
was at once granted. 

The Trustees then explained distinctly to the 
Council, that the inactivity of the past eighteen 
months, after so large an amount had been invested, 
and so many promises had been made, could no 
longer be tolerated; and that, unless those to whose 
advice they were desirous of listening, and who 
wished to hold positions of honor in the Observatory, 
could make up their minds to put it in operation, 
with the means already secured, the relations be- 
tween them and the Trustees must terminate. The 
Council pleaded want of time and other engagements in 
extenuation of Dr. Gould's inaction, and urged the 
Trustees to appoint him Director, upon the pledge that 
energy and perseverance in the future should compen- 



60 

sate for inertness and neglect in the past. They also 
urged their own desire to remain the scientific advisers 
of the Trustees, and this they declared to be impossible 
in the event of Dr. Peters being retained. 

The Trustees, only anxious to promote the best inter- 
ests of the Institution they had warmed into life, and 
to the success of which their means and their energies 
had so long been devoted, hesitated, and deliberated long 
and earnestly. On the one hand, they felt that in giv- 
ing up the services of Dr. Peters, they relinquished the 
aid of a practical astronomer, a devoted lover of his 
science, and a faithful and diligent Observer. They felt, 
also, that the sacrifice of a good and accomplished man, 
to personal jealousies, was scarcely to be justified ; but, 
on the other hand, they knew, that to adhere to the 
appointment of Dr. Peters, would bring about the very 
result that followed the subsequent action of the Board, 
on the 26th of June. They were then still willing to 
believe that the counsel of such men as Professors 
Bache, Pierce and Henry, might be most valuable to 
the Observatory, if united with capacity and energy on 
the part of a Director. The confidence they felt in 
these gentlemen, too, made them even willing to hope 
that, after all their experience to the contrary, Dr. 
Gould might prove a man of practical ability, if he 
should remove to Albany; and his efforts thereafter 
be faithfully directed towards the interests of the 
Observatory. 



61 

Some of the members of the Scientific Council, as the 
Trustees afterwards learned, before meeting with them 
in council, called upon several of the prominent citizens 
of Albany, and explained to them their own views in 
relation to Dr. Peters, Dr. Gould, and the general affairs 
of the Observatory. This having been done, a meeting 
of the Trustees was called. 

At this meeting, Profs. Henry, Pierce, Bache, and Dr. 
Gould, severally addressed the Board ; Professor Henry 
in a strain of highly impassioned eloquence ; Professor 
Pierce more coolly and dispassionately, admitting that 
the power was all in the hands of the Trustees, that the 
Council was simply advisory, and its continuance, at the 
pleasure of the Trustees; but claiming that Dr. Gould's 
agency in procuring the instruments, and the improve- 
ments he had made in them, especially the Meridian 
Circle, ought justly to entitle him to the opportunity 
of making all the scientific discoveries, anticipated from 
them. 

Dr. Gould's position here was peculiar. To the 
Scientific Council, about a month previously, he had 
made his report — so at least the defence informs us — 
in which he had complained of embarrassments and 
interference on the part of the Trustees. He now stood 
in the presence of both parties, and this was obviously 
not a little embarrassing. He finally concluded to 
justify himself with the Council, and to attempt to 
retain a good position with a majority of the Trustees, 
by endeavoring to place in a false position one of the 



62 

latter, with whom he had been upon the most intimate 
terms. After giving some account of his labors at the 
Observatory, he commenced his attack upon the Trus- 
tee in question, a member of the Executive Committee, 
admitting that he had no cause of complaint until the 
preceding June, but alleging that since that time he 
had suffered annoyances whenever he came to Albany, 
and that his plans had been constantly interfered with, 
rendering his bed in Albany " a bed of thorns. 11 As an 
illustration, he said, the west wing of the Observatory 
required no enlargement or alteration, and he had so 
decided ; but that when he next came to Albany he was 
astonished to find the walls of the west wing knocked 
down, and the whole building left open during the cold 
weather, and presenting the appearance of a ruin. 
This " illustration," happened to be most unfortunate, 
for three reasons : One was, that the west wing was 
taken down under Dr. Gould's own special directions, 
to enable him to get in the larger stones for the instru- 
ments, and allow the working of the " Ingenious Crane." 
Another was, that this wall was taken down in August, 
1856, and before the Inauguration. Still another was, 
that the west wing was closed up and finished immedi- 
ately after the stones were placed in position, and before 
the winter had set in. The east wing, it is true, was 
kept open longer, on account of the rejection by Dr. 
Gould of the Lockport stones, and of the delay conse- 
quent upon procuring the large stones from Kingston. 



63 

Dr. Gould concluded his remarks by pledging him- 
self to action, for the future, and to an earnest endeavor 
to promote harmony, and the prosperity of the Institu- 
tion ; and by begging the members of the Board to 
" give him their votes." Mr. Olcott, in a few remarks, 
repelled the aspersions of Dr. Gould, vindicated the 
Trustee from his assaults, and claimed that, if his bed 
in Albany had been a bed of thorns, he himself must 
have made it so, for that the homes and hearts of the 
citizens of Albany had always been open to him, and 
that their money had been freely expended under his 
specific directions. 

Professor Bache, in a very mild, conciliatory speech, 
finally signified his acceptance of a previous proposition 
of Mr. Olcott, that the Observatory should be placed 
under the immediate charge of Dr. Gould, who should 
reside at Albany : that the Coast Survey should furnish 
his services, as also the necessary Observers, free of all 
expense to the Trustees, except the few hundred dollars 
necessary for mounting the instruments, and putting 
them in operation; and that they should be mounted 
and put in operation without further delay. 

Can it be matter of surpise, that some of the Board 
should have been influenced by such appeals from such 
men? 

But there were some whose vision was not to be 
dazzled by empty compliments, or deceived by fail- 
promises. There were some whose hearts rebelled 
against crushing the weak at the bidding of the strong, 



64 

and whose clear judgment foresaw danger and difficul- 
ties in the future. 

The Board met again on the 19th of January to de- 
cide upon their course. It is the earnest desire of the 
Trustees to place this whole history before the public 
in an unexaggerated and truthful manner. They feel, 
therefore, that they cannot do better than to introduce 
here the remarks at this meeting, of their late associ- 
ate, the deeply lamented John N. Wilder. His voice, 
so often raised in behalf of the oppressed, now comes 
to us, as from the sepulchre to which we have just 
borne him. 

It having been determined that the Trustees would 

accept the proposition of the Scientific Council, and 

place the Observatory in charge of Dr. Gould, Mr. 

Wilder addressed the Board in the following language : 

Mr. President : Before proceeding to decapitate Dr. Peters, 
and while the statements of gentlemen who are expected to be his 
successors are so fresh in our memories, I have felt it to be due 
both to Dr. Peters and to ourselves, that the written opinions of 
these gentlemen should be compared with their recent verbal 
statements. I do not expect to influence the action of this Board, 
My previous inattention to the duties imposed upon its Trustees, 
should induce me to speak with a becoming modesty. But I feel 
that the present is a crisis in the history of this Institution ; that 
an able and pure man is about to be sacrificed, and the behests of 
men strong in the consciousness of position and power, are to be 
executed upon an individual whose only offence consists in his 
having most signally fulfilled his duties. I believe all that the 
gentlemen referred to wrote in their calmer moments respecting 
Dr. Peters. To me he bears the genuine marks of a truthful, 
studious, laborious and eminent Scientist ; and the assertion of 
his manhood and the independence of his action dimmish in no 
degree the respect which I have always felt for him. The sum- 
mary dismissal of such a man from such a position without a 
shadow of just reason, seems to be unprecedented and unwarrant- 
able. He is a foreigner ; but science knows no Nationality. He 
s without social support or governmental patronage, but neither 



65 

of these will secure the practical service which the Observatory- 
just now so much needs. All admit that he has been faithful, 
reliable, economical, and successful ; and that, in the subordinate 
position which he has occupied, his bearing has been both defer- 
ential and dignified. He has slept at the feet of his instru- 
ments. In his own expressive language, " the skies knew him." 
All that has been well done, up to this time, at the Observatory, 
so far as I have any knowledge of the scientific operations there, 
has been done by him ; and I repeat, that the gentlemen who 
appeared before us last Saturday, were not mistaken in the written 
eulogiums which they had previously bestowed upon him. 

I must confess, Mr. President, that with these written enco- 
miums then in my pocket, I was astounded when listening to 
their oral refutation from the same parties. Long since tired of 
high sounding adjectives, when applied to men in any sphere, I 
shall not call those gentlemen illustrious, or exalted, or use those 
superlative forms of adulation which they employed when speak- 
ing of themselves, and of each other. 

I did suppose them to be men of truth, with solid attainments ; 
men not easily deceived, and who would place too high an esti- 
mate on their professional reputation, to be so much mistaken as 
we find them to have been, in their appreciation of Dr. Peters. 

You all remember the intemperate outburst of Dr. Gould when 
alluding to Dr. Peters, asserting his incompetence, and dealing 
largely in personal vituperation, all savoring more of the petu- 
lance of an irascible and pedantic schoolmaster, than the calm 
dignity which should distinguish the savan and the scientist. So 
marked and noticeable was the eruption, that some of his more 
politic colleagues, by expostulatory waving of their hands and 
soothing entreaties, calmed him into something like a respectable 
equanimity. 

And yet, this same Dr. G-ould, in a letter to a Trustee, dated 
Cambridge, July 22d, 1856, introducing Dr. Peters, says : 

" This is to introduce my friend, Dr. Peters, who will hring it to Albany 
to-morrow, on his expedition in behalf of the Observatory. It will not be his 
fault if things do not progress to suit your most earnest aspirations ; and he 
will take immediate measures for drawing the meridian lines, and approxi- 
mately determinating the latitude. Dr. Peters will, I am sure, find a friend 
in you, and his amiable character and scientific ability will be sufficient to 
retain the friendship." 

In another letter from Dr. Gould, dated Cambridge, November 
10th, 1856, Dr. Gould says of Dr Peters: 

ie Were there any American to take his plaoe you should have him; but I 
do not think there are six men in America, with an understanding of the sub- 
ject, at all to be compared to his. What men there are, occupy independent 
positions, with salaries threefold what poor Peters is receiving." 

In another letter Dr- Gould says: "Are we not singularly 
fortunate in having a man of Dr. Peters' energy of character and 
scientific ability at the Observatory?" 

In a letter to the Trustees, dated June 21st, 1856, he wrote* 

9 



66 

" Doctor Peters is a man who has seen and experienced much, and I think 
you will like him. Born in Denmark, or rather Schlesswig, a Duchy adjoining 
Denmark, of which the King of Denmark is the Duke : educated in Prussia, 
he was for a long time employed in the Geodetical survey of the Neapolitan 
Kingdom; then in Sicily during the war of the Revolution; after which he 
resided some years in Constantinople before coming to America. So he has 
had plenty of experience." 

But Dr. Gould's good opinion of Dr. Peters dates even at an 
earlier period. In the Christian Examiner for September, 1849, 
in his review of Herschel's Outlines of Astronomy, he brings to 
the notice of Sir John Herschel a labored and classic work, writ- 
ten by Dr. Peters, on a comet which he (Dr. Peters) had disco- 
vered, and speaks of him in the warmest terms of praise. 

It is true, that on the 23d of December, 1857, Dr. Gould wrote 
as follows to the Scientific Council: "His (Dr. Peters') course 
towards the Coast Survey has been such as to impair my confi- 
dence in his trustworthiness ; and his subsequent action being 
illy calculated to restore it, I could with propriety neither urge 
the Superintendent of that work to permit him to recall his resig- 
nation, nor yet incur the responsibility of employing him indepen- 
dently, where his example might exert an influence upon the other 
assistants belonging to the same corps." 

But, only two days after this expression of his lack of faith in 
the trustworthiness of Dr. Peters, when Dr. Peters was found to 
be too much of a man for Coast Survey purposes, wishing to get 
rid of this great trial of his faith and patience, and having grace 
" to bear other people's trials with Christian fortitude," he sent to 
Dr. Peters a communication, tendering him a position away from 
Albany, at a salary of $1,200 to $1,800 a year ! 

But Dr. Peters liked Albany, and had no wish to leave it. He 
stated to myself and other gentlemen, that he found here a state 
of society harmonizing so well with that in which he had been 
reared ; and he had experienced so much kindness from our citi- 
zens, and had such regard for their intelligence, hospitality and 
solidity of character, that he wished to remain here. Opposed as 
he is to pretence, sham and pedantry, he, at least, could see some- 
thing in a population eminently disliking such traits, to admire and 
respect. 

Knowing that Dr. Gould's object was only to have him out of 
his way, Dr. Peters made no reply. On the 5th of January, 
1858, Dr. Gould wrote to Dr. Peters, from Cambridge, as follows : 

" Having received no reply to my letter of December 25th, offering you a 
position in the N. W. Boundary Coast Survey, and which offer I have even 
left open for a week after the publication of your very unfriendly letter to the 
Albany public, I now write to withdraw it." 

That *' unfriendly letter," was simply the acknowledgment by Dr. 
Peters of the kind and friendly expression of regret at his intended 
departure from Albany, addressed to him by Mrs. Dudley. John 
V. L. Pruyn, Erastus Corning, Gen. Van Rensselaer, and others. 

It seems, Mr. President, that the citizens of Albany, yourself 
among the number, had the audacity to write, and Dr. Peters the 



67 

audacity to answer, without consulting the magnates of the Coast 
Survey, the communication to which reference has been made, and 
which caused this indignant retraction by Dr. Gould of an offer 
which was unsolicited and undesired. 

Prof. Pierce, in an earnest and impassioned appeal to the Board, 
stated his opposition to Dr. Peters to he based purely on scientific 
grounds ; and, among other things, dwelt at length on Dr. Peters' 
inability to understand or use the Heliometer. Prof. Pierce, though 
quite as positive, was more courteous than at least one of his asso- 
ciates ; and perhaps he may be right in differing from Prof. Bache, 
who in his first letter in regard to the Heliometer, says : 

" To render this method at all available for the purpose referred to, the 
relative position of all the stars in the constellation must be determined ; and 
Prof. Pierce, Dr. Gould and Dr. Peters concur with me, that this must be 
done by triangulation, and recommend for the purpose a Heliometer. If the 
means to purchase a Heliometer, such as is recommended by Prof. Pierce and 
Dr. Peters in the enclosed letters, can be furnished, I will provide, from the 
Coast Survey instruments, a Transit for time, and furnish an Observer from 
among the assistants of the work, giving the necessary instructions in a way 
which is usual in our work. I shall in this have the full and hearty co-opera- 
tion of Prof. Pierce and Dr. Gould, and the aid of Dr. Peters. The results 
will belong strictly to the Coast Survey and the Dudley Observatory, and their 
publication may be made by either." 

Here, Prof. Pierce, Dr. Gould and Dr. Peters seem to be made 
by Prof. Bache a trinity in unity on the Heliometer question. Dr. 
Gould was not included in the dual number who were to recom- 
mend the Heliometer, but Dr. Peters was. And with the aid of 
Dr. Peters, and the full and hearty " co-operation " of Prof. 
Pierce and Gould, the great event proposed by Prof. Bache was to 
be consummated, through the use of the Heliometer. 

Admitting a moiety of what these gentlemen claim for themselves 
to be true, I think we need feel no loss of self-respect in having 
appointed Dr. Peters as an Observer in this Institution. They 
have heretofore, by such and similar expressions, voluntarily placed 
him on an equality with themselves ; and that elevation should 
surely satisfy the most sensitive and ambitious. One of them, Dr. 
Gould, says, in a letter already read, that there are not six men in 
the United States with an understanding of the subject at all to be 
compared to his, (Dr. Peters'.) Four of them, by their own 
account, must certainly have been present with us during the inter- 
view on Saturday. Dr. Peters is the fifth ; and who the sixth may 
be we are not informed. 

I have already detained the Board too long with this exposition. 
The action about to be taken I believe to be impolitic and erro - 
neous, and fear that we shall yet see many reasons for regretting 
it. The temptation of professedly gratuitous service has no charms 
for me ; believing, as I do, that in the end it is generally, if not 
always, the most costly. I believe in this Board employing the 
best talent which it can command with the means at its disposal ; 
and whatever it accomplishes, be it more or less, that it shall con- 
trol the property of the Institution, and its officers and servants 
be subject to its authority. The resolutions served upon the 



Scientific Council are explicit, and will of coarse secure this 
result ; but I fear that the removal of Dr. Peters, to gratify per- 
ponal spleen or organized malignity, will not and cannot have a 
beneficent conclusion. 

Dr. March also ably and earnestly addressed the 
Board in a similar strain. 

In consideration of the emphatic promises of Dr. Gould, 
so strongly endorsed by the Scientific Council, the Board 
then adopted the following preamble and resolutions : 

Whereas, this Board did, on January 9, 1858, adopt the fol- 
lowing : 

"Resolved, That the Board of Trustees of the Dudley Observ- 
itory, as legal guardians of the Institution entrusted to their care, 
must claim an undivided and entire control over its property, the 
appointment of its officers, and its general policy. But while 
doing so, they most gratefully recognize the valuable co-operation 
and advice which they have received from the Scientific Council, 
and the distinguished Superintendent of the Coast Survey, and 
will ever receive, with the greatest deference and respect, the sug- 
gestions of gentlemen whose names are so illustrious in science, 
and who are so disinterested in their efforts for its advancement." 

And whereas, Professors Bache, Henry, Pierce and Gould 
were, on the 3d of September, 1855, informally elected as the 
Scientific Council op this Board, and have acted as such, 
rendering valuable service, and in order to give to their appoint- 
ment the formal sanction of this Board at a regular meeting, therefore 

Resolved, That we ratify and confirm the election of said per- 
sons as such Scientific Council, and that we shall at all times be 
happy to receive from them any suggestions which they may deem 
calculated to advance the object and aims of the Institution. 

Resolved, That the Board of Trustees ratify the proposition of 
Mr. Olcott, on behalf of the Trustees, which has been accepted by 
Prof. Bache, of the U. S. Coast Survey, That the Observatory, 
under the supervision of the Scientific Council, shall be imme- 
diately placed in operation, and in charge of Dr. B. A. Gould, 
Jr., and his assistants, in the employ and pay of the United 
States Coast Survey. 

Dr. Peters shortly afterwards removed from the 
Observatory. 

Immediately on Dr. Gould's return to Cambridge, he 
addressed a letter to Mr. Olcott, in which he charged 
directly upon one of the Trustees, and that too in an 



69 

offensive manner, the authorship of certain paragraphs 
that had appeared in the public prints reflecting upon 
the notorious inactivity which had prevailed at the 
Observatory Knowing that there was not the slightest 
foundation for the charge, an answer was returned to 
Dr. Gould, assuring him that his suspicions were entirely 
groundless. 

Instead of retracting or apologizing, Dr. Gould reite- 
rated the charge, and wrote as follows : 

" The results of cautious enquiry as to the promptings of these 
publications would, I think, surprise you; and though my sources 
of information are, like those of others, fallible, I fear that you 
would find my opinion justified, that the correspondent of the 
New- York Courier and Enquirer was instigated by the same 
person who incited the Editor of the Statesman; that this last 
named Editor is himself the author of the article in the New- York 
Express, whence he copied it; that the offensive piece in the 
Atlas and Argus was published by request from the same quarter. 
But this is meddling with pitch." 

About the middle of February, Dr. Gould came to 
Albany, having previously applied to the Board for 
an appropriation to build a new dome. The original 
dome had cost $2,000. A new one would have cost 
about $3,000. It would only be needed, if at all, for 
the Heliometer, the construction of which had not yet 
been commenced ; and which, when commenced, it would 
require several years to finish. The Trustees, there- 
fore, resolved that the construction of a new dome, at 
such a time, when all available means were required 
for mounting and bringing into use the instruments 
already purchased, would be inexpedient. The suspi- 
cion would have been at least justifiable, under the cir- 
cumstances, that the alteration was only desired, in order 



70 

to occupy the minds of the Trustees, and thus divert 
their attention from the delay in mounting the instru- 
ments then on hand. 

The next meeting of the Board after the appointment 
of Dr. Gould, was held on the 2d of March. Glen. Yan 
Rensselaer having resigned, Mr. Olcott was elected 
President. 

At this meeting, a communication was presented from 

Dr. Gould, in which he " recommended " that $1,500 

of the State appropriation of $2,000, under an act 

of the Legislature, for determining the longitude of 

one or more points in the State, should be applied 

to the purchase of fuel, lights and furniture for the 

house and office at the Observatory, and for books, 

stationery, and mounting a portion of the instruments. 

He writes : 

" I respectfully ask permission to make use of the State appro- 
priation for determining the longitude, in conformity with the 
foregoing estimates, and that such bills as I may certify for these 
purposes, be honored to the extent of that appropriation." 

He also asked, that authority might be given him to 
set aside any income that might be derived, during the 
year, from the use of the Calculating Machine, or " giv- 
ing time," towards increasing the amounts already men- 
tioned, for furniture, stationery, fuel, lights, &c. 

At the same time, Dr. Gould and the other members 
of the Scientific Council, addressed a letter to the Re- 
gents of the University, in which they say : 

"In conformity with your request, we have the honor to pre- 
sent to you a concise statement of the reasons why, in our judgment, 
as already orally communicated to you, the appropriation of two 
thousand dollars, made by the last Legislature for ascertaining 



71 

the true meridian of such important locality or localities as your 
Board may prescribe, can be rendered most available for the end 
desired, by being assigned to the Dudley Observatory, in order to 
establish the precise meridian of that Institution." 

The application of Dr. Gould for the appropriation 
of $2,000 for a new dome, and $1,500 for furniture, &c, 
appeared to the Trustees to be scarcely carrying out 
the arrangement made in January ; which was, that 
the Trustees should be at no expense, except a " few 
hundred dollars " then said to be needed for mounting 
instruments. 

The following resolution was, therefore, introduced, 
and unanimously adopted : 

Resolved, That the Treasurer be authorized to pay the expense 
as estimated by Dr. Grould, in his letter dated January 21, for 
mounting the Meridian Circle, and the large Transit instrument 
belonging to the Coast Survey ; three hundred dollars to be applied 
to mounting the former, and one hundred and fifty for mounting 
the latter ; and that Dr. G-ould be requested to have both instru- 
ments mounted at as early a day as possible. 

This resolution having been communicated to Dr. 

Gould, he wrote in reply as follows : 

" When it is borne in mind, that both myself and those of my 
corps who have volunteered to aid in carrying on the Observatory, 
are compelled to retain and fulfil all our former duties undimi- 
nished, in order to secure the means of subsistence, — that the 
Olcott Meridian Circle is totally different in character and struc- 
ture from any ever made, and that the proper mounting of 
an instrument of this class with due precaution and accuracy, is 
among the most difficult and delicate problems of practical astro- 
nomy, it will not be deemed unreasonable in me to entreat your 
patience. The instrument might be rudely placed upon its 
bearings in a few days'' time, but not without impairing its value 
and future usefulness, by such harsh treatment." 

It requires but little discernment to discover the 
sneer involved in this communication. Not " a few 
days' time," merely, but more than a year and a half 



72 

had passed since the period fixed upon by Dr. Gould 
himself, for mounting both the Circle and the Transit. 
The very condition upon which he was permitted to 
take charge of the Observatory, was distinctly stated to 
be the immediate mounting of these neglected instru- 
ments. The Trustees saw, with surprise and regret, 
this early indication of intended delay. 

Nor could they perceive the justice of the complaint 
that the pretended "volunteers" at the Observatory, 
were compelled to "fulfil their former duties" to secure 
the "means of subsistence." The Superintendent of 
the Coast Survey had agreed to furnish from his corps 
of employees these very assistants. They could not, 
therefore, be regarded in the light of "volunteers." 
Their position in the Coast Survey was not altered, nor 
their "means of subsistence" diminished, or interfered 
with, by their removal to Albany. The letter was 
regarded as a pretext for still further delay in mount- 
ing the instruments. 

In the same letter, Dr. Gould asks an appropriation 
of $558 for clocks and galvanic batteries. 

On the 5th of March, the Executive Committee resolved 
to hold monthly meetings, and passed a series of finan- 
cial resolutions, one of which was as follows : 

Resolved, That every proposed disbursement shall he accompa- 
nied by a statement, in writing, of the subject and its estimated 
cost, and shall be sanctioned by this committee, before any indebt- 
edness whatever shall be incurred in behalf of this Institution. 

They also passed resolutions appropriating $200 for 
bringing the calculating machine — the "pet" instru- 



73 

ment of Dr. Gould — into use; and $390 for casing the 
piers in the circle room. Copies of these resolutions 
were furnished to Dr. Gould. 

On the 5th of April, Dr. Gould applied for an appropria- 
tion of $324, for water and fencing, and informed the 
Board that he had engaged a person to take charge of 
the premises at $700 a year salary, and house rent free. 

On the 7th of xlpril, the Trustees appropriated $600 for 
determining the longitude, and $324 for water, fence, &c, 
on Dr. Gould's estimate, and appointed a committee to 
consider the subject of the appointment of a person to 
take charge of the buildings and grounds. 

On the 30th of May Dr. Gould applied for payment of a 
balance of about $200, due for clocks, and for an appro- 
priation of $110 more for galvanic batteries. 

Up to this time, repeated applications had been made 
to Dr. Gould, for information as to the time when 
the Trustees might expect the instruments to be 
mounted and brought into use. The replies had 
been evasive — sometimes insolent, and never satisfac- 
tory. It became painfully evident to the Trustees, 
that there was no intention on the part of Dr. Gould 
to put the Observatory in active operation, or even in 
such a state of forwardness as would furnish a guarantee 
to the public that the Institution was progressing. 
They were also pained to learn, from the most reliable 
sources, that citizens, when visiting the Observatory 
and grounds, were, in repeated instances, treated with 

10 



74 

incivility. Sometimes admission was refused altogether ; 
and, at other times, when they succeeded in obtaining 
admission, visitors were received with so little respect 
or courtesy that they felt themselves at liberty to 
complain of their treatment. Nor could it be pretend- 
ed that, as yet, anything had been done, or was being 
done, which would render the presence of respectable 
visitors either improper or inconvenient. The Trus- 
tees felt that it was important to excite and to main- 
tain a popular interest in the Institution, and it was to 
them a source of mortification, to learn that those who 
had taken the pains to visit the Observatory premises, 
had returned with complaints of rude and uncourteous 
treatment. 

Nor was the evidence of this incivility such as the 
Board could for an instant question or reject. Even 
the lamented Mr. Wilder, a gentleman whose courteous 
and modest manners, whose amiable disposition and 
genial nature furnished a sure guarantee that he would 
never give to any person, whatever his position, the 
right or the excuse to insult him, had been treated 
with insolence. When visiting the Observatory, on 
one occasion, the door was shut in his face by one of 
the assistants of Dr. Gould, and he was refused ad- 
mittance to the Observatory, upon the feigned pre- 
tence that Dr. Gould had taken the keys away. 

Dr. Armsby and Gen. Pruyn were treated with simi- 
lar discourtesy. In short, it soon became apparent 
that those Trustees who, in January, had opposed the 



75 

restoration of Dr. Gould, preferring to retain Dr. Peters, 

were to be made to feel, as often as opportunity should 

be presented, the active displeasure of the man they 

had offended. 

Official accounts of these interviews were placed 

before the Executive Committee, on the 22d of May. 

One was drawn up by Mr. Wilder, and another by Gen. 

Pruyn. They were both fully endorsed by Dr. Armsby, 

and are, in substance, as follows : 

Mr. Wilder's Statement. — " On the 19th of May, John N. 
Wilder and Dr. Armsby visited the Observatory, in the discharge 
of their duties as members of the Executive Committee. They 
were told by Dr. Gould's assistants, that the Director was absent, 
and had taken the keys with him. A few moments before, Dr. 
Gould was seen at the window of his room. To the question, 
" Arc there no other keys ?" they replied " Yes, but we do not 
know where they are." These replies were made by two of the 
young men who had just been through the Observatory with a 
party of visitors. After a few moments, they had an interview 
with Dr. Gould, who informed them that he had an engagement to 
dine in the city at five o'clock. It then wanted twenty-five min- 
utes of five, and the Trustees therefore did not detain him. After 
inspecting the excavations recently made by the New York Cen- 
tral Railroad, on a part of the grounds, which was one object of 
their visit, they returned by the door of the Observatory, and 
having seen Mr. Farmer, who was engaged in putting up clocks, 
pass into the building, with other persons, they said to an 
assistant who was near by, they would like to go in and see Mr. 
Farmer. The young man, after some hesitation, ascended the 
steps before them, and knocked at the door. It was opened, and 
he stepped in, closing it immediately in their faces, and turned the 
key. They knocked, and requested him to open the door. It 
was presently opened by Mr. Farmer, and at the same instant 
the inner door was closed and locked upon the Trustees ; and 
although repeated requests were made, they did not obtain admis- 
sion to the building. 

Mr. Prtjtn's Statement. — "A few days subsequent to 
May last, Robert H. Pruyn and Dr. Armsby, two of the Trus- 
tees, visited the Observatory ; Mr. Pruyn for the purpose of dis- 
charging a duty imposed upon him by the Trustees, and Dr. 
Armsby having accompanied him at his request. They called at 
the house of Dr. Gould, and were informed that all the gentlemen 



76 

were at the Observatory. They found a young man in the grounds, 
and requested admission to the building. This was refused, on 
the ground that the Director was absent, and he had instructions 
to admit no person during his absence. He was asked if such 
instructions extended to Trustees. His reply was, "I do not 
know, but if you claim to be admitted as Trustees, I suppose I 
must admit you." He then started towards the house, but loi- 
tered in the garden, and left the Trustees standing upon the 
steps for from tiventy-five to thirty minutes. The door was 
then thrown open, and the Trustees entered, but the assistant 
did not precede them. He remained at the door. They went to 
the Circle room, and found it fastened. They were informed 
that the keys of that room, of the Library, and of the Calcula- 
ting Engine room, where at the house in Dr. Gould's drawer, 
from which he did not wish anyone to take them in his absence. 
Mr. Pruyn said he did not wish him to do so, and that he would 
visit those rooms some other time when Dr. Gould was present. 
On leaving the Observatory, Mr. Pruyn, solely for the purpose 
of endeavoring to preserve the relations between Dr. Gould and 
the Trustees, which he had been greatly instrumental in per- 
fecting in the preceding January, remarked : "Mr. Winslow, as 
you will see Dr. Gould before I do ; and as you appear to be 
doubtful whether your instructions forbid the admission of Trus- 
tees during Dr. Gould's absence, you had better get instruc- 
tions on that point, as other Trustees may soon visit you." 
The reply was, "I do not think there would be any difficulty, 
if application is made in the right way ;" and then he added, " if 
you had shown the courtesy of asking for the Director, you 
would have been admitted." Mr. Pruyn then said, "Mr. Wins- 
low, it does not become you to use such language." We were 
informed at the house, that all the ['gentlemen were at the Ob- 
servatory. 

The Trustees did not feel inclined to question the 
veracity of these gentlemen; nor did they consider 
them as persons likely to imagine insults that were not 
intended, or to exact any politeness or attention that 
was not strictly their due. They were willing, however, 
to do all in their power to avoid these difficulties, and 
promote the prosperity of the Institution. This was 
now felt to be impossible, unless distinct and definite 
rules were adopted, by which the conduct of all per- 



11 

sons in charge at the Observatory could be regulated 
and their duties properly defined. 

The reasons that rendered such rules necessary were 
well known to Dr. Gould. He certainly must have been 
aware of the improper treatment of the Trustees, unless 
we are to suppose that no communication ever took 
place between him and his associates. Indeed, the 
Trustees are reliably informed, that Dr. Gould has since 
avowed, that in respect to one Trustee, at least, the 
insult was intentional. Repeated applications had been 
made to him for information as to the probable period 
when the mounting of the instruments, according to the 
promises made nearly five months previously, would be 
undertaken. That Dr. Gould was ignorant at the time 
of the meeting of the Board of Trustees, on the 22d of 
May, of these grounds of complaint, as he has since pre- 
tended, is scarcely within the bounds of reasonable 
belief. 

On the 2 2d of May, the Executive Committee, con- 
sisting of nine of the Trustees, unanimously adopted the 
following resolutions : 

Resolved, That the grounds of the Observatory lbe open to the 
public, between the hours of seven o'clock a. m., and seven o'clock 
p. M., except Sundays ; children not to be admitted, unless accom- 
panied by parents, or some person of mature age. 

Resolved, That a committee of the Trustees, consisting of 
Mr. Pruyn, Mr. Wilder, Mr. Rathbone and Mr. Yosburgh, in 
connection with Dr. Gould, be appointed to prepare such rules 
and regulations for the admission of visitors to the Observatory 
building, as shall make the same as accessible to the public, as is 
consistent with the safety of the instruments and the 'prosecution 
of the work of the Observatory. The same to be published for 
the information of the public. 



78 

Resolved, That the Treasurer be directed to procure such and 
so many duplicate keys to the Observatory, and its several rooms, 
as may from time to time be necessary ; and that Dr. Grould be 
requested to place one set of such keys in the dwelling-house 
attached to the Observatory, for the sole and exclusive use of the 
Trustees ; so that at any and all hours, any of the Trustees visit- 
ing the Observatory, with or without friends, may not be prevented 
from having access to the Observatory and all its rooms. 

Resolved, That Dr. Gould be officially requested, through the 
Secretary of this Board, to instruct the boys and young men who, 
as employees of the Coast Survey, are under his direction, that 
the Institution was endowed to a great extent through the efforts, 
and by the munificence of private individuals, residing in this 
city ; that the labor of securing the construction of its buildings, 
and their present equipments, has principally been performed 
here, and that it is largely dependant upon the friends of astro- 
nomical science in this vicinity for its future progress and useful- 
ness. And that hereafter the Board of Trustees will require for 
themselves, personally, and for all persons visiting the Observatory 
with proper intentions, the candor, courtesy and civility every- 
where essential, but especially so in an Institution which originated 
in the most generous and disinterested intentions, and which can 
only accomplish the work of its founders, by securing, in every 
legitimate way, and so deserving, the popular favor and support. 

Resolved, That the bills of Mr. Farmer and Mr. Polsey, be 
referred to the Sub-Committee on Accounts, of which Mr. Bath- 
bone is Chairman. 

It is proper here to state, that the third resolution 
of this series was intended as a rebuke to Dr. Gould, 
for what was deemed a studied insult, upon his part, 
through those in his employ, to some of the Trustees. 

The Trustees rarely visited the Observatory, except on 
business connected with their official duty, or for the 
purpose of introducing it to the attention of some friend, 
whose favor and aid they wished to secure. It is sub- 
mitted to a candid public to say, whether it was unrea- 
sonable, after what had already occurred, that the 
Trustees should take measures to secure to themselves 
free admission to the Observatory premises, without 



79 

subjecting themselves to the risk of a repetition of the 
insolence of irresponsible subordinates, whom Dr. Gould, 
for his own purposes, might see fit to harbor there. Dr. 
Gould was associated with the Committee charged with 
the preparation of rules in relation to the admission of 
visitors, with a view to enable him to suggest such 
restrictions and regulations as he should deem expe- 
dient or proper. 

The fourth resolution seemed to be called for by the 
circumstances which have already been noticed. Some 
action was deemed necessary, to prevent the recurrence 
of similar improprieties and misconduct. To decline 
all notice of the facts which had been brought to the 
attention of the Committee, would have been to dis- 
credit the statements, or censure the conduct of such 
gentlemen as John N. Wilder, Gen. Pruyn, Dr. Armsby, 
and other citizens of equal respectability. If their 
testimony was reliable, the necessity for such action 
was most urgent. 

Dr. Gould replied to these resolutions, in along letter, 
dated the 31st of May. That letter has been designated 
by one member of this Board as arrogant, insolent, and 
unbecoming the position held by Dr. Gould, and his 
relation to the Trustees. This opinion has been adop- 
ted as the judgment of this Board, and that judgment 
is now reiterated. Occupying a position which he had 
but just obtained at the hands of the Trustees, and 
that, too, not without the most humiliating importu- 
nity, he now puts on airs, and assumes to teach the 



80 

Executive Committee and the Trustees, what belongs 
to them, and in what manner they should discharge 
their duty. He reviews and condemms their action, 
and finally refuses to submit to their requirements. 
But let him speak for himself. Thus he writes : 

" I will take the liberty of recalling to your memory the posi- 
tion of the Scientific Council of the Observatory, and the 
circumstances under which they are endeavoring to bring it into 
full activity. When notified that all the available means had 
been consumed under the auspices of the former Executive Com- 
mittee, and that the Observatory would, for some years, be entirely 
destitute of income, they did not desert it ; and the undersigned, 
being determined that no additional sacrifice necessary to insure 
its success, should be wanting on his part, removed to this city, 
where, aided by the generous zeal of a corps of assistants, most 
of whom are contributing gratuitous labor — offered for the sake 
and for the love of science — he has been conducting the prelimi- 
nary operations to the best of his ability ; advancing the requisite 
means from his private resources, and without support thus far 
from you, despite the promise that the balance of the State 
appropriation for longitude should be placed at his disposal, 
towards defraying the unavoidable expenses of carrying on the 
Observatory. He claims that he is at least entitled to be pro- 
tected from interruptions which, if permitted, will render his 
labors nugatory." 

This document deserves some attention. Its real 
character, like that of its author, is somewhat obscured 
by grandiloquent phrases and rhetorical flourishes. . It 
has the air and seeming of a " veto" message. The 
paper was obviously designed for effect outside of the 
Board of Trustees. Dr. Gould proposes, in the outset, 
to refresh the recollection of the Trustees in relation 
to the "position of the Scientific Council," and the cir- 
cumstances under which they were endeavoring to bring 
the Observatory into full activity. But this, after all, 
he entirely fails to do. What there was in the " position" 



81 

or " circumstances," of the Scientific Council, which he 
would have the Trustees remember, must be left to con- 
jecture. 

Dr. Gould then proceeds to state, in terms, which, in 
view of his relation to the Trustees, can be but regarded 
as extremely offensive, that " all the available means 
of the Observatory had been consumed, under the auspices 
of the former executive committee." No one knew better 
than Dr. Gould, the disingenuousness, to use the mildest 
term suited to the facts, of this statement. From the 
time Professor Mitchell magnanimously yielded his 
position in the Observatory to Dr. Gould, until the hour 
when this remarkable letter was written, not a dollar 
of the Observatory funds had been " consumed," except 
11 under the auspices" of Dr. Gould. The amount thus 
expended, according to the books of the Treasurer, 
from the 29th of August, 1856, to the 10th of August, 
1858, is $60,676.83. This sum includes $7,000 advanced 
to Mr. Spencer, on account of the Heliometer, which is 
not yet begun ; but is exclusive of outstanding and 
unpaid bills, to the amount, as believed, of about $4,000. 

Prior to the first of August, 1856, there had been 
expended, in the erection of the buildings contemplated 
by Professor Mitchell, the sum of $22,449.98. Less 
than $500 more was required to complete the buildingg 
according to his plan; and yet, within the last two 
years, more than $40,000 have been " consumed" upon 
the Observatory premises, " under the auspices" of Dr. 
11 



82 

Gould, exclusive of the sums that have been paid for 
Observatory instruments. 

It is proper here to state, that in addition to this 
enormous expenditure, a very large proportion of which 
has, so far as any useful purpose is concerned, been 
really wasted, Dr. Gould, upon his own responsibility, 
and without the knowledge of the Trustees, but at 
their expense, had procured plans and specifications of 
other buildings and erections, which could only be 
executed, at a cost ranging from $100,000 to $200,000. 

Dr. Gould next proceeds to invite the attention of 
the Trustees to the fact, that, though notified that all 
the available means of the Observatory had been con- 
sumed, so that for some years it would be destitute of 
income, still the Scientific Council u did not desert it/> 
Such a statement, with all the facts fresh in the recol- 
lection of the Trustees, and of Dr. Gould himself, could 
only have been made for the effect it might have else- 
where, in the conflict which he then meditated, It is 
true, that, when the Scientific Council learned that they 
were about to lose the hold they had upon the Observa- 
tory, and that the Trustees had resolved to terminate 
the relations which had existed between the Scientific 
Council and the Observatory, the entire Council, alarmed 
at the prospect, " hastened " to Albany, and by their 
promises and entreaties, induced a majority of the Board 
of Trustees to change their purpose, and to reinstate 
them. This struggle to retain their grasp upon th® 
Observatory, against the wishes and purposes of the 



83 

Trustees — a struggle which has been continued up to 
this hour — Dr. Gould has the effrontery to present to the 
Trustees themselves, as a reason why still further con- 
cessions should be made. 

There are other statements in this message of Dr. 
Gould — such as the allegation that he had been advan- 
cing from his own private resources the means of con- 
ducting certain preliminary operations, to which he 
alludes, but of which the Trustees have no knowledge — 
which a proper regard for accuracy would have induced 
him either to omit altogether, or very essentially to 
qualify. But this notice must suffice. 

It now became apparent that the affairs of the Obser- 
vatory were rapidly approaching a crisis. From the 
time of the arrival of Dr. Gould at Albany, after he 
had been reinstated in January, his intercourse with 
the Trustees had been of the most formal and ceremo- 
nious character. The humiliating struggle which it 
had cost him to retain his position, was not forgotten. 
Towards those of the Trustees who had, to the last, 
advocated the appointment of Dr. Peters, he was espe- 
cially vindictive. He spoke of them, on various 
occasions, in terms of ridicule and reproach. The 
treatment which some of these gentlemen received 
when visiting the Observatory grounds, showed, too, 
how deeply his youthful subordinates had been imbued 
with the sentiments of their principal. In short, 
instead of adopting and pursuing a spirit of concilia- 
tion, and endeavoring to secure harmony of action 



84 

between himself and all the members of the Board, so 
all might work together for the advancement of a com- 
mon interest, he seemed, from the beginning, to have 
adopted the " rule or ruin 77 policy, and to make those 
members of the Board who had ventured to question 
the wisdom of his administration of the affairs of the 
Observatory, to realize what it is to offend such a man. 

It soon became apparent, too, after Br. Gould had 
taken up his residence in Albany, that, as a part of his 
policy and with a view to the exigencies which have now 
come upon him, he determined upon raising up for him- 
self and the Scientific Council, a party of friends and 
adherents, outside of the Board of Trustees, and those 
who, with them, had been the constant friends of the 
Observatory, among citizens, respectable and influential 
in their sphere, but who, from the beginning, had stood 
aloof from the Observatory enterprise. Of the success 
of this branch of his policy, the public need not be 
informed. The "Address " which has recently appeared,, 
and to which twelve gentlemen have allowed their names 
to be appended, furnishes the strongest evidence of the 
skill with which he has managed this part of his scheme, 
and of the surprising credulity with which these citizens, 
themselves ignorant of the true state of the case, have 
adopted and endorsed the perversions and misrepresen- 
tations of Dr. Gould, and thrust themselves into the con- 
troversy. 

It is only in this connection, that the Trustees regard 
the " Address 77 as worthy of attention. As might be 



85 

expected from its origin, it is a partizan paper, and 
abounds with denunciation and severe epithets against 
the Trustees, and is liberal in its panegyrics upon Dr. 
Gould and the Scientific Council, but the honest 
inquirer will find in it nothing to aid him in his search 
after truth. 

On the 4th of June, a full meeting of the Board of Trus- 
tees was held, and a report from the Executive Commit- 
tee was presented. The committee, after setting forth 
the business transacted at their several meetings, the 
amounts appropriated for the work at the Observatory, 
and other business matters connected with their duties, 
say: 

" The committee have endeavored to do everything in their power 
to gratify the wishes and carry out the views of Dr. Gould. 
They have not hesitated to make, promptly, every appropriation 
that seemed essential or necessary to the successful prosecution 
of the work of the Observatory. Members of the committee 
have visited the Observatory at different times ; have conferred 
with Dr. Gould relative to the progress of the work, and could 
have learned what obstacles, if any, have been thrown in the way 
of its progress. Yet they have heard from numerous sources, of 
constant and reiterated complaints made by Dr. Gould and his 
friends, against the Trustees. The committee are not aware of 
any omission of duty on their part, or of any foundation for these 
reports. The work done by Dr. Gould for the Observatory, since 
it was put under his charge, in January last, consists in cutting 
the holes in the two circle piers, for mounting the instruments. 
This has, doubtless, been a very difficult and laborious work. 
Preparations have also been made for clothing the piers, when the 
holes are completed. Dr. Gould has also improved the grounds, 
by laying out walks, planting trees, changing the fences around 
the new house, &c. 

This work the committee had regarded as belonging more 
appropriately to the Trustees, in connection with Dr. Gould ; and 
they had hoped that Dr. Gould would devote his time and best 
energies to bringing the Observatory and the instruments into 
immediate operation. 

But, as yet, no steps have been taken towards mounting the 



86 

Transit instrument in the west wing. This room has been 
finished, and this splendid instrument has lain idle in its box, 
since November, 1856. 

They had hoped that this instrument would have "been mounted, 
and employed in determining the longitude, instead of the small 
instrument, for which a temporary building has been, without any 
proper authority, erected. 

The committee believe that they have performed with fidelity 
and candor, the duties entrusted to them by the Board ; but they 
do not feel authorised, without the sanction of the Board, to make 
any further appropriations, except for purposes purely scientific. 

The committee are pained to be under the necessity of stating 
that certain Trustees of the Institution, and members of this com- 
mittee, have been treat d with marked rudeness and incivility by 
Dr. Gould's assistants ; that they have been refused admission to 
the Observatory building ; that they have received uncivil, evasive 
and untruthful answers to questions addressed to the young men 
in regard to the keys, the absence of Dr. Gould, and on other 
points." 

The Executive Committee also presented to the Board 
the statements by Messrs. Wilder and Pruyn and Dr. 
Armsby, of their visits to the Observatory, and of the 
insults to which they were subjected, and also the reso- 
lutions adopted by the Executive Committee on the 22d 
day of May. 

The report of the Executive Committee was adopted 
by a unanimous vote of the Board. 

The question then arose, what should be done, in view 
of the extraordinary state of facts presented by the 
report. This question became the subject of grave and 
earnest consideration. Much discussion ensued. All 
were agreed in deploring and condemning the conduct 
of Dr. Gould. But in relation to the line of action 
which should be adopted by the Board, there was some 
diversity of opinion. At length, with a view to har- 
mony and unanimity, a resolution was proposed, which 



87 

seemed satisfactory to all, and which was ultimately 
adopted, without a dissenting voice. It is as follows : 

Resolved, That the constantly recurring difficulties which this 
Board has experienced in the affairs of the Dudley Observatory, 
arising from, want of harmony between Dr. G-ould and the mem- 
bers of this Board, have satisfied the Board that some new 
arrangement is absolutely necessary, and that the President be 
requested to communicate these facts to the Scientific Council. 

The resolution, thus adopted, was transmitted by the 
President to the Scientific Council, with the following 

letter : 

Albany, June 5, 1858. 
Prop. A. D. Bache — Bear Sir: At a meeting of the Trus- 
tees of the Dudley Observatory, held last evening, the enclosed 
resolution was unanimously adopted. 

In forwarding the same to you, agreeably to instructions, though 
candor compels me to acknowledge my personal gratification in the 
passage of the same, yet with equal candor, I can say for myself 
and my associates, that the necessity which impelled our action, 
was the occasion of painful regrets. 

Looking with confidence and pleasure to the continued friendly 
eo-operation of the other members of our Scientific Council, 
I have the honor to be, 

With undiminished regard, 
Your Obedient, 

THOS. W. OLCOTT. 

By this resolution, thus transmitted to the Scientific 
Council, they were apprised that there was a " want of 
harmony " between Dr. Gould and the members of the 
Board. They were told of u difficulties," not slight or 
temporary, but serious and " constantly recurring.'** 
And, finally, they were informed, in terms too plain to 
be misinterpreted, that the relations between Dr. Gould 
and the Board must terminate — that u some new arrange- 
ment was absolutely necessary."' 



88 

The President, in communicating this resolution, took 
occasion to express, in courteous and soothing terms, the 
wish, no doubt sincerely entertained by himself and 
many others, that, though a separation from Dr. Gould 
was now inevitable, the Observatory might yet co- 
operate with the other members of the Scientific Council. 

The reply of these gentlemen, which was received on 
the 17th of June, affects to regard this resolution and 
the letter of the President, as an appeal to them. They 
would have it understood that all that the Trustees had 
done, or, indeed, could do, was to prefer to them, as 
the ultimate arbiters in the case, their charges and com- 
plaints, and that they, at their convenience and in their 
own way, were to decide the controversy between the 
conflicting parties. They accordingly, after repeating 
with evident relish, the complimentary terms with 
which the President had closed his letter, and indulging 
in a formal expression of regret that the Trustees should 
have felt it necessary to adopt such a resolution, pro- 
ceed, benignantly, to commend the Trustees for having 
had the consideration to appeal to them. They then 
speak, in stately measure, of their own responsibility 
" before the public," and the " binding character of the 
arrangement between themselves and the Trustees." 
The document was artfully conceived ; but its whole 
tenor was such as to convince the Trustees that these 
gentlemen were prepared to assert their right to reverse 
the decision of the Trustees, and insist, against their 
will, if necessary, that Dr. Gould should be retained. 



89 

Subsequent events have abundantly proved that the 
Trustees did not misinterpret their purpose. 

A meeting of the Trustees was convened on the 20th 
of June. The communication of Professor Bache and 
his associates, was laid before the Board by the Presi- 
dent. A free discussion and interchange of views was 
had among the members. Four members of the Board, 
among whom were two of the most steadfast friends and 
liberal patrons of the Observatory, while they distinctly 
disavowed any intention to justify or palliate the conduct 
of Dr. Gould, were inclined to more pacific and gentle 
measures ; but a large majority, believing that the inter- 
ests, and even that the life of the institution were involv- 
ed in the question, were unwilling that the scenes of Jan- 
uary should be re-enacted. They thought it better that 
the Scientific Council should at once be made to under- 
stand, if the resolution which had already been adopted 
was not sufficiently explicit upon that point, that the 
determination of the Trustees to rid themselves of Dr. 
Gould wan unalterable. They believed then, and they 
still believe, that this course was dictated by sound po- 
licy. The question was one which they had both a 
legal and a moral right to determine for themselves. 
The facts upon which their action was founded, were 
within their own personal knowledge. They could 
neither be successfully gainsayed or refuted. They 
could not then, nor can they now see any possible ad- 
vantage to be derived from confronting Dr. Gould be- 
fore his associates, who had, before, been found so ready 



90 

to become his champions, and since, have for his sake, 
made themselves principals in the conflict he is waging 
against the Trustees, for the possession and control of 
the Observatory. It is quite obvious now, however it 
may have been then, that nothing which the Trustees 
could have said or done — no facts or grounds of com- 
plaint, however strong or well founded, could have 
induced the gentlemen who were so anxious to take 
jurisdiction of the controversy, to concur with the Trus- 
tees in the removal of Dr. Gould. Upon every consi- 
deration, the Trustees thought it more wise that the 
associates of Dr. Gould should at once and distinctly 
be informed, that the question whether, under any cir- 
cumstances or upon any conditions, Dr. Gould should 
longer be retained, could not be deemed open for con- 
sideration. 

The following resolutions were accordingly proposed 
and adopted, with only four dissenting voices : 

A communication having been read to the Board, by the Presi- 
dent, in relation to the existing difficulties Wxth Dr. Gould, there- 
fore, 

Resolved, That this Board approve of such communication, 
and that a copy be transmitted to the Scientific Council, as expres- 
sive of the views of this Board, on the subject to which it relates. 

And a resolution having been adopted, at the last meeting 
of this Board, in which, after referring to the want of harmony 
between Dr. Gould and the members of the Board, it was de- 
clared, as the sense of the Board, that some new arrangement in 
the affairs of the Observatory was absolutely necessary — which 
resolution, in pursuance of the request of the Board, was commu- 
nicated to the Scientific Council, by the President of the Board ; 

And the Scientific Council in their reply to this communication, 
bearing date the l'Jthof June, instant, having requested that they 
be furnished with a statement of the difficulties referred to in the 
resolution of the Board, with such facts as may bear upon them, 
and especially a eopy of the reeord of the proceedings of the 



91 

Executive Committee, and of the Trustees since the first of the 
present year ; 

And whereas, The Scientific Council have apparently misun- 
derstood the purpose and determination of the Board in adopting 
the resolution to which they refer; Now, therefore, 

Resolved, That this Board do not recognize the right of the 
Scientific Council to review the action of this Board with reference 
to the matter in question ; and as a compliance with their request 
could only be useful to the Scientific Council in determining 
whether Dr. Could should longer be continued in the service of 
the Observatory, which this Board regard as a question no longer 
open for consideration, they deem it inexpedient to comply with 
the request of the Scientific Council in this behalf. 

And whereas, The Scientific Council have, in their said commu- 
nication further requested that the Trustees would suggest the 
new arrangement contemplated by their resolution, therefore 

Resolved, That the Scientific Council be informed that the new 
arrangement contemplated by this Board, involves the immediate 
withdrawal of Dr. Gould. 

Resolved, Also, in view of the unpleasant relations which now 
exist between Dr. Grould and the members of this Board, that it 
is not desirable or expedient that he should longer continue to* be 
a member of the Scientific Council, and that hereafter he will not 
be recognized as such member. 

The comunication to which the first of this series of 
resolutions relates, contains a clear and truthful state- 
ment of the principal grounds of complaint against Dr. 
Gould. It is already before the public. 

Two days after the adoption and publication of 
these resolutions, a letter purporting to emanate, from 
and bearing the signature of Mrs. Dudley, found its way 
into the public prints. It reads as follows : 

Albany, June 28th, 1858. 
To the Trustees of the Dudley Observatory. 

Gentlemen — I am surprised and grieved to learn, through 
the medium of thepublie press, that serious difficulties have arisen 
between yourselves and the Director of the Dudley Observatory ; 
and that you demand the withdrawal of the Director, and refuse 
to refer the difficulties in question to the Scientific Council, except 
upon the basis of the removal of one of their own body, to whom 
the management of the Observatory has been entrusted. 



92 

It is well known to you that my large donation was made under 
the express condition that the Observatory should become a 
National Institution, dedicated to the advancement of one of the 
noblest branches of science, and that the eminent gentlemen com- 
posing the Scientific Council, should be entrusted with its develop- 
ment and management. I relied upon the gentlemen who have 
been named as Trustees, in the original act of incorporation, 
passed several years before, to co-operate harmoniously with the 
Council, and have never sought to interfere with your action, so 
long as it appeared to be directed towards the great objects to 
which the Observatory is dedicated. 

Having undiminished confidence in the intentions and ability of 
the Council to accomplish the ends proposed, I cannot but feel the 
most earnest desire that every member of it shall receive the 
hearty co-operation and support of the Trustees, without which all 
our efforts must fail. Learning that the action of your Board, 
which I refer to, is not unanimous, I have now respectfully to 
request that those members of it who cannot cordially continue to 
discharge the duties which devolve upon them in connection with 
the Scientific Council, as at present organized, and with the 
Director now in charge, shall resign, and leave their places to be 
filled by such donors to the Observatory as may be selected by 
the remaining Trustees. 

The disinterested zeal for the cause of science, which has 
prompted you to undertake the labors and responsibilities which 
have devolved upon you, will, I trust, lead any of you without 
hesitation to withdraw from the control of the Observatory, rather 
than hazard its success by placing it beyond the supervision of 
those gentlemen whose names have been the guaranty to most of 
the other large contributors to the Observatory, as well as to my- 
self. I am, Gentlemen, 

With much respect, 

Your obedient servant, 

BLANDINA DUDLEY. 

In respect to the real authorship of this letter, it is 
not too much to say that no two persons residing in 
Albany, and at all familiar with this controversy, can 
differ in opinion. No one, not even Dr. Gould himself, 
will say that it was written or even dictated by Mrs. 
Dudley. In Albany, where all the circumstances are 
known, the letter is harmless. The Defenders of Dr. 
Gould in their published " Defence," have had too much 



93 

self-respect even to allude to it. The man who dared 
to invade the seclusion of this aged lady, and obtain her 
signature to this paper, uncomprehended and incompre- 
hensible, as it was, by her, is guilty of moral forgery. 
No measure of condemnation or contempt is adequate 
properly to characterize such an act. And yet this was 
done — done, too, by a prominent party to this contro- 
versy — done with the most unworthy motives — not with 
any hope of influencing the action of the Trustees, but 
for the purpose of exciting prejudice against them 
where the facts are not and cannot well be known. 
Fully aware of all these circumstances, and of the 
moral fraud which had been practiced upon this excellent 
and venerable lady ; and knowing, too, as they did full 
well, how totally unfamiliar she was with all the facts 
which enter into this controversy, the Trustees, never- 
theless, thought it expedient to reply to the letter, as 
though she had been its author, in kind and courteous 
terms. The reply is as follows : 

Mrs. Blandina Dudley — Dear Madam : We have received 
your letter of the 28th inst. At the time of your noble gift, the 
Trustees of the Dudley Observatory probably impressed you with 
sanguine hopes, inspired by the assurances of the distinguished 
gentlemen who composed our Scientific Council. 

We flattered ourselves with harmonious action and auspicious 
results. But a bitter experience, to which you are a stranger, 
forbids all hope of our continuing to act with all the gentlemen 
who compose our Scientific Council. We venerate, dear Madam, 
your age, we admire your liberality, we rejoice that your honored 
name is identified with an Institution which is destined, we trust, 
to shed lustre not only upon its name, but on our country and the 
world. 

And we doubt not that, could we condescend to intrude upon 
the sanctity of your retirement, in the unworthy endeavor of enlist- 
ing your feelings and distressing your mind by a conflict in which 



94 

men alone should be engaged, we could spread before you the 
facts which would convince you of the propriety of our course, and 
secure for it your cordial approbation. 

The action taken by us has been the result of a painful neces- 
sity, and we see no reason for regretting or retracting it. 

We have endeavored honestly, and to the best of our ability, to 
perform the duties imposed upon us as members of the Board of 
Trustees, and cannot now relinquish the trust committed to us, 
without danger to the Observatory and dishonor to ourselves. 

Fully aware of the influences which induced you to make the 
communication above referred to, and believing that, in the future, 
you will sanction the course we have pursued, and which we 
know to have been necessary. 

We remain, with respect and sincere regard, 
Truly yours, 

THOMAS W. OLCOTT, 
JOHN F. RATHBONE, 
JOHN N, WILDER, 
S. H. RANSOM, 
W. H. DEWITT, 
I. W. VOSBUROH, 
IRA HARRIS, 
ALDEN MARCH, 
J. H. ARMSBY, 
R. H. PRUYN. 

On the 30th of June — two days after the Dudley let- 
ter had been issued — for these were stirring times with 
Dr. Gould and his associates — it was reported that all 
the members of the Scientific Council were at the Ob- 
servatory. They did not, as on former occasions, 
apprise their friends in the Board of their arrival ; nor 
did they, as they had been accustomed to do, avail 
themselves of their hospitalities. It was evident, from 
the beginning, that they had hastened to Albany for 
the purpose of sustaining their associate. He, not the 
Trustees, had appealed to them, and they had resolved 
not to desert him in his hour of need. For this, they 
deserve his gratitude. His case was one of emergency, 



95 

and great emergencies require extreme measures. These 
were the men for such an occasion. Long accustomed 
to " loyalty "■ and unquestioning submission, they had 
the courage to assume attitudes which, to men of more 
modesty and less confidence in their ability to exe- 
cute their own arbitrary will, would have been quite 
startling. 

They prepared the way for what was to follow, by 
boldly and unscrupulously asserting, in a pompous show 
of swelling words, their own unlimited jurisdiction. 
Let them speak for themselves. The following is the 
preamble which precedes the resolutions, adopted upon 
their first assembling at the Observatory, containing 
their declaration of rights : 

Whereas, The Scientific Council, induced by the urgent repre- 
sentations and repeated assurances of the Trustees, have assumed 
the responsibility of the scientific conduct of the Observatory, and 
publicly pledged their reputations for its scientific success ; and 
whereas the Trustees have raised large sums of money for the 
support of the Observatory by the use of these pledges ; and 
whereas the Trustees must necessarily have delegated to the 
Scientific Council all the powers which are essential to the 
assumption of this responsibility and the performance of the duties 
in which their pledges have involved them ; and whereas the 
Director of the Observatory is the agent of the Scientific Council 
for the scientific conduct of the Observatory, &c. 

It has been said that power is ever at war with its 
own boundaries. The great want of the Scientific 
Council, in the emergency in which they found them- 
selves, was power. It had not been conferred upon 
them, and yet they must have it. They had no alter- 
native but to do, as has often before been done by 
tyrants, usurp it. This they at once proceeded to do* 



96 

The high-sounding phrases with which this preamble 
abounds, such as " urgent representations," and " re" 
peated assurances" of the Trustees, "assuming the respon- 
sibility of the scientific conduct of the Observatory " — 
"their reputations publicly pledged" — "power neces- 
sarily delegated " — " power essential to the assumption 
of this responsibility" — "power essential to the perform- 
ance of the duties which their pledges involved ;" 
these were brought into service, not because they 
meant anything of themselves, or were pertinent to the 
relation in which these gentlemen stood to the Trustees, 
but the better to conceal their real design, which was, 
to clothe themselves with all the authority the exigency 
of the case required. 

When they had last been in Albany, in their anxiety 
to retain even a slight footing in the Observatory, they 
were satisfied, and even grateful, that the Trustees, by 
a reluctant vote, should so far yield to their earnest 
beseechings, as formally to appoint them their Scientific 
Council, at the same time declaring, as the measure of 
their authority, that the Board would " at all times be 
happy to receive from them any suggestions which they 
might deem calculated to advance the object and views 
of the institution," 

Now, they proceed at once to resolve, " That it is not 
consistent with the obligations by which the Trustees 
have bound themselves to the Scientific Council, to the 
donors and to the public, for the Trustees to appoint or 



97 

remove, the Director of the Observatory, without the con- 
currence of the Scientific Council." 

It may be useful to pause here for a moment, and 
consider the full scope and import of the resolution. 
It speaks of obligations — obligations of the Trustees — 
obligations self-imposed — by which the Trustees have 
bound themselves to the Scientific Council. It speaks 
of a solemn compact by which the Trustees had sur- 
rendered to these gentlemen a very essential part of 
the power delegated to them by the Legislature. The 
inquirer after truth will be amazed to know that the 
only foundation upon which these arrogant pretensions 
are based, is contained in the resolution of the 19th of 
January, which has already been noticed. 

But. upon a second glance at their resolution, it will 
be seen that, after all. these men do not mean to 
say that the Trustees have bound themselves to them 
by any legal obligation. For they associate themselves 
in these obligations, with the donors and the public. 
They only mean to speak in general terms of the -moral 
duty which the Trustees, in their official capacity, owe 
to those three great classes of mankind — the Scientific 
Council — the donors — and the public. The resolution 
then comes to this ; that, in the judgment of this august 
body, the Trustees ought not to have the power, and, 
therefore, they have not the power i: to appoint or 
remove the Director — not any Director — but the present 

12 



98 

Director, Dr. Gould, without the concurrence of the 
Scientific Council.' 7 

Thus, these eminent men, at the very outset, in this, 
their first official session, invented a plan by which they 
could save their friend. It was ingenious. Few men 
could have conceived it — fewer still would have dared 
to promulgate it — and none, but the Scientific Council, 
would have ventured upon its execution. That these 
men could ever be brought to concur in the removal of 
Dr. Gould, no one will believe. In the very beginning 
of their " Defence," they say their errand to Albany was, 
after ascertaining how much blame was due to each 
party, to " suggest rules for the government of both — 
(the Trustees and Dr. Gould) — in their subsequent 
intercourse." 

Having thus adjudged the question for themselves, 
and decided that Dr. Gould could not be displaced 
without their concurrence, the Scientific Council next 
proceeded, in an equally summary manner, to dispose 
of the recent action of the Board in relation to the 
management of the Observatory premises. With great 
unanimity — for the report of these proceedings affirms 
that all the resolutions were unanimously adopted — they 
proceeded, in their second resolution, to declare " that 
no rules or resolutions which affected the scientific ope- 
rations of the Observatory, ought to be adopted, without 
the sanction of the Scientific Council. 11 Whether or not 
any rule or resolution would affect the scientific opera- 
tions of the Observatory, would, of course, be a question 



99 

which scientific men alone could decide. The Trustees, 
therefore, could really do nothing without the permis- 
sion of this mysterious body. Thus, they assumed to 
declare the rights and powers of the Trustees, and to 
make them in all respects, subordinate to themselves. 

It cannot be amiss, here, again, to notice the une- 
qualled assurance which gave character to these pro- 
ceedings. These men refer to no resolution, or other 
action of the Trustees, conferring upon them any such 
authority as they chose to exercise. They would 
scarcely be willing to refer their power to any such 
ignoble origin. From the tenor of their preamble and 
resolutions, they would seem rather to refer it, gener- 
ally, to " the fitness of things." The Trustees certainly 
could not be allowed to exercise such powers; and as 
there was no one else so well qualified, it was fit and 
proper that they should be exercised by the Scientific 
Council ! 

They had now settled the relations between them- 
selves and the Trustees. They had so restricted the 
powers of the Trustees as to make them a very harm- 
less body. Having thus declared the principles by 
which they are to be governed, they are prepared to 
proceed more directly to the consideration of the case 
in hand. 

They begin, by affirming that Dr. Gould is their agent, 
and not an officer of the Observatory. This being so, it 
seems to follow, very logically, that, if charges are to 
be preferred against him, the Scientific Council alone 



100 

could entertain them. Upon one point, these gentlemen 
do not seem to be quite settled in their own judgment. 
Their third resolution declares " that in any case of 
charges against the Director, the Scientific Council 
should have, at least concurrent, if not exclusive jurisdic- 
tion." So that, really, here is a grave question left open 
for future consideration. It is, whether, in case of 
charges made against the Director, the jurisdiction of 
the Scientific Council to try him is exclusive, or only 
concurrent with some other jurisdiction. It is matter 
of some surprise, that men of such transcendent wisdom, 
should have hesitated in determining such a question, 
especially, when, according to their views of things, 
there could "be no appeal from their judgment. 

Having thus adjudged themselves to be the only 
proper tribunal to try Dr. Gould, they resolve to pro- 
ceed. They declare in their fourth resolution, u that in 
accordance with their convictions of duty, they will 
proceed with a full investigation of all the charges 
brought by Mr. Olcott against Dr. Gould • and that Mr. 
Olcott be requested to furnish any oral or written 
evidence, which he may possess, in support of his allega- 
tions." A fifth resolution was adopted, directing that 
proclamation be duly made that this great tribunal was 
now open, and ready to proceed to business. The reso- 
lution is as follows 3 

" That the Board of Trustees be informed that the Scientific* 
Council is now in session, and will be happy to receive any com- 
munications from them." 

The following correspondence then ensued between 



101 

the Scientific Council and Mr. Olcott, the President of 
the Board of Trustees : 

[From the Scientific Council to Mr. Olcott.] 

Dudley Observatory, June 30, 1858. 

T. W. Olcott, Esq. : 

Dear Sir — We have received a communication from Dr. J. H. 
Armsby, Secretary of the Board of Trustees, of the Dudley 
Observatory, purporting to contain remarks made by you at a 
recent meeting of the Board, in which are certain grave allega- 
tions against the scientific and moral character of Dr. Gould, the 
Director of the Observatory. 

We address you now, to ask for any oral or written evidence 
which you may possess, in support of your very serious charges. 
We shall be in session at the Observatory to-morrow (Thurs- 
day) morning, at nine o'clock, and hope it may suit your con- 
venience to communicate with us, at or previous to that time. 
Very respectfully yours, 

JOSEPH HENRY, 
A. D. BACHE, 
BENJAMIN PIERCE. 

[Reply from Mr. Olcott.] 

Albany, June 80, 1858. 

Professors Henry, Bache and Pierce : 

Gentlemen — Unwilling to treat your communication of this 
date with a silence which might be construed into disrespect, 
allow me to say that, with the most profound regards for you 
individually, and for the exalted positions which you occupy, I 
feel constrained to state that I cannot recognize your honorable 
body as an appellate tribunal, and therefore must decline to obey 
your summons. 

Very respectfully yours, 

THOMAS W. OLCOTT. 

[Letter from the Scientific Council to the Trustees of the Dudley Observatory.] 

To the Trustees of the Dudley Observatory : 

Gentlemen — The Scientific Council of the Observatory has the 
honor to inform you that it is now in session, and will be happy to 
receive any further communication which you may have to make. 
Very respectfully, 

Your obedient servant, 

JOSEPH HENRY, Chairman. 
Dudley Observatory, 1858, June 30. 



102 

[Reply of the Trustees to the Scientific Council.] 

Albany, June 30, 1858. 
Prof. Joseph Henry, Chairman : 

Dear^Sir — I have received your communication of this day. 
Our Trustees have had no meeting since Saturday last, and I 
know of no further communication which they have to make. If 
the Scientific Council have any recommendations to make con- 
cerning a successor to Dr. Gould, they will "be received by our 
Trustees with the most respectful consideration. 
I have the honor to be, 

Your obedient servant, 

THOMAS W. OLCOTT, 
President Board Trustees, Dudley Ohservatory. 

[From the Scientific Council to the Trustees.] 

Dudley Observatory, July 1. 

To the Trustees of the Dudley Observatory : 

Gentlemen — Waiving for the moment what we consider our 
rights as members of the Scientific Council, and the contract by 
which we deem the scientific concerns of the Observatory to have 
been placed in our charge, we make the following propositions 
of conciliation, viz : 

1. To take, unconditionally, immediate charge and direction of 
the Dudley Observatory, subject only to the Board of Trustees, 
thus occupying, ourselves, the place of Director. 

If this is not acceptable to the Trustees, then 

2. To refer the difficulties between Dr. Gould and the Trus- 
tees, to five discreet and wise citizens of Albany, two to be named 
by the Trustees, two by the Scientific Council, and these four to 
choose a fifth. The award of the arbitrators to involve the com- 
plete decision as to the future arrangements of the Institution, 
and the Trustees and Scientific Council to pledge themselves to 
abide by this determination. 

Should neither of the propositions be acceptable to the Trus- 
tees, the following : 

3. To appoint a committee of three members representing both 
the majority and minority of the Board, to confer with the Scien- 
tific Council, in order to ascertain if any measures of reconciliation 
can be suggested. 

Respectfully your obedient servants, 
JOSEPH HENRY, 
A. D. BACHE, 
BENJAMIN PIERCE. 

[Reply of the President of the Board of Trustees.] 

Albany, July 1, 1858. 
Professors Henry, Bache and Pierce : 

Gentlemen — I have just received your propositions of this date, 
and have consulted such of our Trustees as I have, in a short 



103 

time, been enabled to meet with, and am obliged to refer you to 
my note to Prof. Henry, of yesterday, as the only basis of an 
amicable adjustment of existing difficulties. 
I have the honor to be, 

Your obedient servant, 

THOMAS W. OLCOTT, 
President Dudley Observatory. 

The Trustees do not feel called upon to enter into 
any argument to justify themselves in refusing to appear 
before this self-created tribunal, or in declining to accept 
either of the propositions contained in the communica- 
tion of the first of July. The Trustees had determined, 
as they had done once before, to get rid of Dr. Gould. 
It was their deliberate judgment that the best interests, 
if not the salvation of the Institution, required that 
this should be done — upon this conviction they had 
acted. They believed, as every reader of this history 
will believe, that the gentlemen composing the Scientific 
Council, were brought to Albany, as they had been in 
January, to overrule the action and thwart the purposes 
of the Trustees. In all their proceedings, from first to 
last, they exhibit themselves as they had done before, 
not as the disinterested advisers of the Trustees, but 
as the partizans and champions of Dr. Gould. Under 
these circumstances, what public good could result from 
a compliance with the summons of these gentlemen, 
or an acceptance of either of their propositions. What 
ought the Trustees to have done, more than they 
did do? The Scientific Council had been distinctly 
informed that it was the determination of the Board, 
that Dr. Gould should no longer continue to be con- 



104 

nected witli the Observatory. They had also been 
informed that any recommendations they might see fit 
to make, concerning a successor to Dr. Gould, would 
receive the most respectful consideration. This was 
all, in their judgment, that courtesy demanded, or the 
interests of the Observatory, would allow. 

It has been said, and so far as the Trustees have 
learned, this is the chief point upon which the propriety 
of the action of the Trustees has been questioned, that 
they ought to have allowed Dr. Gould to be heard. 
But let it be remembered that the only hearing which 
had been demanded, or was desired, was to be had 
before the self-constituted tribunal which had been 
convened at his instance ; and which, as they believed , 
and that too, not without sufficient reason, as they think 
they have already shown, had no other purpose in view 
but the protection of Dr. Gould and the defeat of the 
Trustees. Had Dr. Gould desired to meet the Trustees 
for the purpose of explaining or disproving any of 
the statements or charges by which he felt himself 
injured or aggrieved, such a hearing would have been 
promptly and cheerfully conceded to him. He had 
been allowed such a hearing in January, of which he, 
and his associates, who had now been transformed into a 
tribunal of last appeal, had, to the fullest extent, availed 
themselves. They had, for the time, been successful. 
Now, they had no relish for a second experiment of the 
same kind. With these facts before any enlightened 
and unprejudiced mind, the Trustees are ready to meet 



105 

its judgment. They felt then, and subsequent events 
have fully justified their belief, that, to have submitted 
themselves and the vital interests of the Observatory 
to such an adjudication as was then proposed, would 
have been an inexcusable surrender of their own official 
responsibility. 

At the close of their judicial labors, these men were 
able to present, as the result of their " rigorous exami- 
nation," no less than thirty-two points, methodically 
and numerically arranged, in all of which the Trustees 
are condemned, and Dr. Gould acquitted — in which the 
Trustees are adjudged to be wrong in everything, and 
Dr. Gould in nothing. The entire vocabulary of com- 
pliment and eulogium, in which these Scientific gentle- 
men are said to be unrivalled proficients, has been ex- 
hausted in extolling the merits of their colleague. This 
single fact is quite sufficient to show what the Trustees 
had to expect at the hands of such a tribunal. All 
that Dr. Gould had done, and more that he had not 
done, was deemed worthy of the most emphatic com- 
mendation, and the conduct of the Trustees throughout 
was denounced with equal emphasis. 

The Trustees having thus declined to submit them- 
selves to the " tender mercies v of the Scientific Coun- 
cil, these gentlemen, finding themselves baffled in the 
execution of their first plan for saving their favorite, 
resorted to a still more desperate expedient, They 



106 

commenced with fulminations. Falling back upon their 
character of advisers, and under the pretence of giving 
the Trustees scientific counsel, they issued and sent 
forth, to enlighten the world, a series of advisory reso- 
lutions, each preceded by a preamble, abounding with 
the most terrific condemnation of the Trustees; and 
finally, having exhausted both their denunciations and 
advice, they proceed to exercise squatter sovereignty by 
taking the Observatory and its affairs into their own 
hands — and to employ such physical force as they 
deemed sufficient to keep out the Trustees and defend 
themselves in their unlawful possession. The late Chief 
of Police, with an adequate number of assistants, have 
found steady and appropriate employment, probably at 
the expense of the Coast Survey, in standing sentinel 
and guarding the premises against any possible attack 
from the rebellious and refractory Trustees, The 
Trustees themselves can scarcely help admiring the cool 
hardihood with which all this has been done. They find 
themselves most surprised by the fact, that there are 
found those among their own fellow-citizens who, in 
their blind obsequiousness to these distinguished sons 
jo science, are ready to encourage and commend this 
unmitigated outrage. The resolutions and their pre- 
ambles should not be omitted in this history. They 
<ere as follows : 



107 

Dudley Observatory, ) 
July 2d, 1858. \ 

To the Trustees of the Dudley Observatory: 

G-entlemen — We have the honor to present to you our counsel 
in the following preambles and resolutions, adopted at our meeting 
this day. 

Very respectfully yours, 

JOSEPH HENRY, 
A. D. BACHE, 
BENJAMIN PIERCE. 

Whereas, The Scientific Council have received the resolution 
of the Trustees, demanding the removal of the Director ; whereas, 
they find that Dr. Gould has been condemned without being 
heard in his own defence ; whereas, the Trustees have resisted all 
the attempts of the Scientific Council to obtain for Dr. Gould the 
opportunity of meeting the charges which have been made against 
him ; whereas, these charges appear to be mostly frivolous, with 
the exception of the two charges of incompetence and peculation; 
therefore, 

Resolved, That the Scientific Council must advise the Trustees 
that their persistence in their present course of removing the 
Director is opposed to all the recognized principles of justice ; 
and is so utterly at variance with the system of guardianship, by 
which the laws of our country protect the rights of our citizens 
against every form of despotism, that it will be regarded as a 
bitter and burning disgrace by the whole community, and will 
not fail to obstruct all further contributions for the support of the 
Observatory. 

Whereas, The Scientific Council have carefully examined the 
statement which has been transmitted to them by the Secretary 
of the Board of Trustees, accompanying the resolution upon 
which such removal is required ; ivhereas, they do not find in 
this statement any reasonable foundation for the serious charges 
which have been made against the Director, and, whereas, they 
have examined the voluminous documentary evidence which Dr. 
Gould has transmitted to them in his defence, and, whereas, they 
find in the evidence the triumphant refutation of all the charges 
which are made against him ; therefore, 

Resolved, That they must advise the Trustees that the removal 
of Dr. Gould would be a gross violation of their obligations to 
him. 

Whereas, This Council have carefully examined the scientific 
progress of the Observatory, and find it in all respect to be ably 
and judiciously conducted ; whereas, they find that the labors of 
the Director and his assistants have been characterized by the 
utmost zeal and energy ; whereas, they find that no opportunity 
for astronomical observation has been permitted to pass unim- 
proved ; whereas, they find in the character of the work which 



108 

has been already done, and in the unrivalled Meridian Circle 
which has been constructed under his direction, the most indubi- 
table proofs of the greatness of his capacity for astronomical 
observation, therefore, 

Resolved, That they must advise the Trustees, that the removal 
of Dr. Gould will be an irreparable injury to the scientific opera- 
itons of the Observatory. 

Whereas, The Council are persuaded that under the circum- 
stances of Dr. Gould's removal, no honorable and trustworthy 
astronomer would be willing to occupy his place, and take unright- 
eous possession of the splendid instrument into which the sugges- 
tions of his genius have been incorporated by its celebrated 
makers ; therefore, 

Resolved, That they cannot, by advice, or any other way, 
acquiesce in his removal. 

Whereas, The Scientific Council are informed that the Trustees 
decline all further personal intercourse with Dr. Gould ; therefore, 

Resolved, That an Executive Committee of their body be 
appointed, whose duty it shall be to conduct the scientific admin- 
istration in all its relations to the Trustees and the general visitors 
of the Observatory. 

Resolved, That for the month of July, Prof. Bache shall con- 
stitute the Executive Committee ; that for the month of August, 
Prof. Pierce shall constitute it ; and for the month of September, 
Prof. Henry. 

It may be as well here, as elsewhere, to notice one or 
two points which are brought to view in these resolu- 
tions. In the preamble to the first resolution, it is said 
that the charges made against Dr. Gould, " appear to 
be mostly frivolous, with the exception of the charge of 
incompetence and peculation. 11 And in their "Defence" 
of Dr. Gould the Scientific Council say, " The ostensible 
reasons assigned by Mr. Olcott and those voting with 
him for their late astonishing course, are, the alleged 
incompetency, dishonesty, peculiarity of temper &c, of 
Dr. Gould." Much ado has been made by the Scien- 
tifice Council and their sympathizers, about these 
charges of incompetency and peculation. Under the 
head of " Incompetency," in the " Defence," the Scien- 



109 

tific Council say, " We cannot refrain from expres- 
sing our astonishment that Mr. Olcott should presume 
to pronounce a judgment in this case." The sympa- 
thizers, too, affect to be greatly shocked at the temerity 
of Mr. Olcott in thus daring to decide upon the scien- 
tific qualifications of Dr. Gould. The prominence which 
these gentlemen have given to this point and their loud 
expressions of indignation have not been without their 
effect. They have led some honest men to believe that 
there was something in it ; and that, really, Mr. Olcott 
had done some great injustice to the scientific reputa- 
tion of Dr. Gould. 

That there may be no misapprehension about it, and 
that equal justice may be done, it will be worth while 
to go back and see what charge had been made against 
Dr. Gould in this respect. It has already been seen, 
that for nearly three years, Dr. Gould had been pro- 
mising great things for the Observatory, but accom- 
plishing nothing. Mr. Olcott, in his address to the 
Board on the subject, after noticing this feature in the 
administration of Dr. Gould, proceeds, very naturally, 
to inqure, " why this continued delay and studied at- 
tempt to amuse with trifles ? Why do these noble- 
instruments remain so long in their boxes, when every 
astronomer, conscious of his own ability, would pant 
for the unfolding glories which they are expected to 
reveal ?" These, certainly, were very pertinent ques- 
tions, and very naturally suggested by the circumstan- 
ces of the case. It would have been more satisfactory 



110 

if the Scientific Council, after having sufficiently chas- 
tised Mr. Olcott for having ventured to hint at a solu- 
tion of these questions, had seen fit to assign a better 
reason for the extraordinary inactivity which had char- 
acterized the whole course of Dr. Gould, in respect to 
the affairs of the Observatory. 

Mr. Olcott, after having propounded these questions, 
proceeded to answer them as well as he could. He 
gave the same solution which, doubtless, had occurred 
to others, who had observed the course of Dr. Gould, 
and knew what he had promised and what he had not 
done. Others may not have had the courage to express 
it, but Mr. Olcott was not alone in the opinion he enter- 
tained. This is what he said, and all that he has said, 
in respect to the incompetency of Dr. Gould. "The 
truth," he says, " in my judgment, lies in a nutshell. It 
is a discreet unwillingness to test his skill as a practical 
astronomer." This was Mr. Olcott's opinion. It may 
be the opinion of others. The Scientific Council en- 
tertain a different opinion. Professor Bache, if his 
Indignation speech at the late meeting of the Albany 
sympathizers, has been correctly reported, looks upon 
Dr. Gould as the great astronomical light of the west- 
ern hemisphere — " the American Bessel!!" The world 
may place a higher value upon the opinion of Professor 
Bache and Professor Henry and Professor Pierce, than 
upon the opinion of Mr. Olcott. Dr. Gould has 
this advantage. Yet after all, it is opinion against 
opinion; for it is certain that "the skill" of Dr. Gould, 



Ill 

"as a practical astronomer," remains to be tested. 
Even according to the history of his astronomical ca- 
reer given by the Scientific Council, in his " Defence/ 7 
it has not yet been tested. It is certainly true, that it 
has not been tested at the Dudley Observatory. That 
the professional reputation of Dr. Gould may suffer 
serious damage, as the result of this controversy, is very 
likely ; but it will not be, because, in looking around 
for a cause to which to ascribe the unaccountable pro- 
crastination which has characterized his whole career 
in the Dudley Observatory, Mr. Olcott came to the con- 
clusion that such cause was to be found in his distrust 
of his own ability, as a practical astronomer. 

The only other charge which the Scientific Council 
regard as serious, is that which they choose to designate 
as "peculation" and in another place they speak of it 
under the name of dishonesty. That any such charge 
has been made, or even intimated against Dr. Gould, is 
he merest pretence. In nothing does the dis ingenuous- 
ness of these Defenders of Dr. Gould, and their twelve 
endorsers, more conspicuously appear, than in their 
strenuous endeavor to have it believed that " pecula 
tion " and " dishonesty " had been imputed to Dr. Gould 
These defenders, in their anxiety to find, in the address 
of Mr. Olcott to the Board, some unjust accusation 
against Dr. Gould, have seized upon what he had said 
in relation to the Altona letter, and ingeniously con- 
trived to spell out, from these remarks, the word "pecu- 
lation" Having conceived the idea, they at once work 



112 

themselves up into a perfect paroxysm of indignation at 
\ie image of their own creation. In their " Defence," 
they have one " head " devoted to "Peculation," and 
another to the u Letter to the German Journal," thus 
adroitly seeking to have the unsuspecting reader infer 
that, besides what he had said about the letter, Mr. 
Glcott had elsewhere made this groundless attack upon 
the reputation of Dr. Gould. There are many, doubt- 
less, who have been led to believe that this unjust accu- 
sation has really been made. See how fervid these men 
grow the instant they come to their " head " of " Pecu- 
lation." u It is difficult," they say, " to convey our 
idea in regard to this charge, without using such strong 
language as we prefer not to employ. To say that it is 
untrue — that it has not a particle of foundation — that 
it is baseless — has not the shadow of reality, or an ex- 
cuse for it, would be feeble, compared with the convic- 
tions that we have of the character of the imputation." 
It would be very natural to suppose that these gentle- 
men could not thus excite themselves without some 
foundation. 

Let us see, therefore, what has been done to bring on- 
this unhappy mental condition. Immediately after Dr. 
Gould had been re-instated in January, he made a com- 
munication to the Board of Trustees, in which he stated 
that "the Superintendent of the Coast Survey had 
offered to undertake and complete, as early in the sea- 
gon as possible, a measurement of the longitude-differ- 
ence of the Dudley Observatory, from one of the fixed 



113 

points of his telegraphic survey, furnishing salaried 
assistants from his corps, gratuitously, provided the 
Observatory would defray the actual outlay, which he 
estimated at $600," and recommending the acceptance of 
this liberal proposition. The Trustees adopted the re- 
commendation and accepted the proposition. The requi- 
site amount was appropriated, and has been received by 
Dr. Gould. The Trustees suppose the work has been 
done, though upon this point they have very little infor- 
mation. 

On the 5th of April, Dr. Gould wrote a letter — for he is 
fond of writing, and it may be no more than justice to 
say that he writes well. This letter was not intended for 
the meridian of Albany. It made its appearance in a 
German Astronomical Journal. In this letter, after 
stating that the Coast Survey had no official connection 
with the Observatory, he proceeds to say, that " by 
permission of the Supeintendent, it had been allowed 
to him and some of his assistants, to devote their leisure 
time to the arrangement of the Observatory, at the 
same time continuing, as before, their longitude deter- 
minations for gaining a livelihood." In the same letter 
he states what, if true, it did not much become him to 
proclaim, that " the Observatory had no means on hand 
for salaries or for the most necessary expenditures." 

Mr. Olcott, in his address, after speaking of the im- 
propriety of sending such a letter abroad to be pub- 
lished and circulated there, proceeds as follows : " This 

13 



114 

disclosed the fact, which now, for the first time, comes 
to our knowledge ; that, not the Coast Survey, but Dr. 
Gould, individually, pockets, in addition to his salary, 
the very considerable income from longitude determi- 
nations. This truly solves a problem and explains his 
past anxiety to grasp the legislative appropriation." 

Now, it is submitted to the candid reader to say, 
whether in all this — and this is every word that was 
said on the subject — there is any thing that, by any 
possible implication, involves a charge of peculation or 
dishonesty. The Superintendent of the Coast Survey 
had offered to determine the longitude of the Observa- 
tory. For that service, the Trustees had agreed to pay 
$600. This sum has been paid. The Scientific Coun- 
cil, in their "Defence," state that the actual disburse- 
ments by Dr. Gould, in the prosecution of the Work, 
had amounted to $928.94. 

To satisfy themselves as to the real expense of such 
a work, the Trustees, since the publication of the 
"Defence," have, through the kindness of a friend, pro- 
cured some information, which they deem important. 
It is contained in a letter from Professor Bond of the 
Cambridge Observatory, which is as follows : 

Harvard College Observatory, ) 
Cambridge, July 20, 1858. ) 
Dear Sir : * * * * In regard to your enquiries respect- 
ing the probable expense which would be incurred in a tele- 
graphic determination of the difference of longitude between 
the Dudley and Harvard Observatories, I can see no reason 
for estimating the cost beyond two hundred dollars ; and if, as 
I understand is the case, at the Dudley Observatory, the 
Transit instrument is in position, and the Clock properly 



115 

arranged, and the electric connection made with the main 
lines, I think it should not cost so much. At Cambridge we 
have daily communication with Boston, and can join issue with 
the offices there at any hour. 

It is very convenient to have a reading operator at the 
Observatory, for conversation. We have usually paid him five 
dollars a night when successful, and three dollars a night 
when he comes to the Observatory, and clouds or other 
hindrances intervene. 

In determining the difference of longitude between Quebec 
and Cambridge last year, the charges at this end of the line 
were Jify-one dollars; and I do not know any circumstance 
that should have occasioned the expense to have been greater 
at Quebec, as our amount included the amount paid to opera- 
tors at Cambridge, Boston and Portland. 

In connecting Cambridge with Fredericton, New Bruns- 
wick, the charges at this end of the line were, I think, some- 
thing less than fifty dollars ; what the expenditures were at 
Fredericton I have not learned. The proprietors have never 
yet, in any instance, I believe, charged for the use of the 
lines and batteries. # * * * 

Yours, faithfully, 

W. C. BOND. 

The Legislature had appropriated $2,000 for the pur- 
pose of ascertaining the true meridian of such locality 
or localities, as the Regents of the University should 
prescribe. In March the four gentlemen comprising the 
Scientific Council, addressed a letter to J. V. L. Pruyn, 
Esq., one of the Regents, asking that the appropriation 
might be assigned to the Dudley Observatory, " in order 
to establish the precise meridian of that Institution." 
In this letter these gentlemen say : li To complete more 
than one telegraphic longitude determination properly, 
by means of the appropriation made to the Regents 
for the purpose, ought not, in our judgment, to be 
expected." And again, in the same letter, they say: 
" But a small proportion of longitude measurements of 
the Coast Survey have been found practicable, for the 



116 

sum now appropriated by the Legislature for the pur- 
pose." 

It may be proper also here to state, that since the 
proposition to undertake this work was made in Janu- 
ary, Dr. Gould has stated to several members of the 
Board of Trustees, that it would occupy twenty-five 
months, and that the work would be of such a character 
as to render it impossible to do any other Observatory 
work during that period. 

There is obviously some mystery overhanging this 
subject, which the Trustees, professing their ignorance ? 
leave to others to solve. Whether in fact the actual 
cost of determining the longitude of the Observatory is 
$2,000, as the Scientific Council, in their communication 
to the Kegents, would have it understood ; or whether 
it is $600, according to the estimate of the Superinten- 
dent of the Coast Survey, in the proposition submitted 
to the Trustees of the Observatory, by Dr. Gould, in 
January ; or whether, as would really seem to be the 
fact, from the very explicit letter of Prof. Bond, the 
cost would be less than $200, must be left to others to 
determine. Nor are the Trustees yet able to determine 
how the matter stands between Prof. Bache and Dr. 
Gould in relation to the work at the Dudley Observa- 
tory ; whether the $600, received by Dr. Gould, belongs 
to him, or to Prof. Bache, or to the Coast Survey, or by 
whom the loss of $328.94, according to the statement 
contained in the " Defence," is to be borne. The whole 
subject, as it now appears, is eminently suggestive. It 



117 

might be useful for those, who, in the discharge of official 
duty, may be called upon to vote for appropriations to 
the Coast Survey, to satisfy themselves whether it costs 
$2,000 or $200 to determine the longitude of any par- 
' ticular locality. 

There is one other subject connected with this mat- 
ter of longitude determination, which, in the judgment 
of the Trustees, is not without its bearing upon this 
controversy. It is indicative of the true character of 
the gentlemen who composed the Scientific Council. In 
their letter to Mr. Pruyn, already noticed, they say, 
"It is doubtless known to the Eegents of the Univer- 
sity, as of course to yourself, that the method of tele- 
graphic longitude measurement — a method so far sur- 
passing all others in delicacy and precision, that no 
thought of any other can be entertained between places 
connected with a telegraphic wire, is pre-eminently a 
national one, known in Europe as the American method. 
It was devised, developed and perfected solely by officers of 
the Coast Survey of the United States, and even the subsi- 
diary apparatus is the invention of this National Institu- 
tion J 1 

In contrast with this claim, let the language of these 
same gentlemen, on the same subject, upon another oc- 
casion be read. At the Albany meeting of the Ameri- 
can Association for the Advancement of Science, held 
in the year 1851, Prof. Bache, the President of the As- 
sociation, bore the following testimony on this very 



118 

point, and to the extraordinary scientific merits of Pro- 
fessor Mitchell generally : 

"What triumph greater than that of our Cincinnati Brother, 
(Prof. 0. M. Mitchell,) when the Committee of the Associa- 
tion reported so strongly in favor of his admirable method of 
recording right ascensions and declinations? Truth triumphed, 
through his love of it ! What a triumph for American Science, 
when the "American method" of observing is adopted at 
Greenwich. The contribution, by whomsoever made, by how- 
ever many shared, is a contribution to the glory of the coun- 
try. The generous award of credit to our country by this 
name, by the illustrious Astronomer of Greenwich, is not the 
less honorable to him than to us. Let us show ourselves 
worthy of the spirit, by sinking all personal views in a gen- 
eral contribution to the American method. If the Association 
is worth any thing, it should be adequate to this : let this be 
the test." 

Professor Pierce (another member of the late Scien- 
tific Council with Dr. Gould,) was appointed Chairman 
of a Select Committee, at the New-Haven meeting of 
the Association for the Advancement of Science, to report 
on Professor Mitchell's system of astronomical observa- 
tions. Professor Pierce reported : 

"The Committee are not aware that the history of Astro- 
nomical Science exhibits a more astonishing instance of great 
results produced, with what would seem to be wholly inade- 
quate means. With the ordinary tools of a common mechanic, 
and an insignificant pecuniary outlay, an isolated individual 
has aspired to rival the highest efforts of the most richly en- 
dowed Institutions, upon which sovereigns and governments 
have showered their inexhaustible patronage, and his aspira- 
tions have been crowned with success. The Committee are 
persuaded that Prof. Mitchell's plan will lead to still more 
admirable results, and contribute yet farther to the advance- 
ment of Astronomical Science." 

Professor Bache, at the same meeting, made the fol- 
lowing additional remarks, in compliment to Professor 
Mitchell : 

"The value of this decided and perspicuous report was en- 



119 

hanced by the cool investigating character of the members of 
the Committee. The circumstances attending the reception 
of the description of Prof. Mitchell's invention at the New 
Haven meeting, further increased its value. It is not surpri- 
sing that those versed in methods of Astronomical observa- 
tions, in established use, should be skeptical in regard of the 
performance of an apparatus avowedly constructed with im- 
perfect means, and startled when its results were stated as 
vieing with those of perfect instruments, imported or made at 
large cost. These opinions were freely expressed, and no con- 
siderations of private friendship were allowed to interfere with 
the protest, which seemed to many members of the Associa- 
tion to be necessary against the pretensions thus set up." 

Prof. Bache continues : 

"Prof. Mitchell did not doubt; but with a manly love of 
truth courted examination, and invited those who objected, to 
make the closest scrutiny of his results. This has been done 
at the present meeting. It goes out then with the stamp of 
this Association ; it has passed a critical ordeal and stands by 
its merits as one of the most remarkable steps ever made in 
our country, in the progress of Astronomical observation." 

Having come to the conclusion that every thing that 
had been said against Dr. Gould, except the two charges 
which have first been noticed, are " mostly frivolous," 
the Scientific Council, elected and qualified to give sci- 
entific advice, proceeded, by solemn resolution, to 
declare their opinions. As scientific men, they gravely 
resolve that what the Trustees have been doing is 
opposed to all the recognised principles of justice. 
They " must so advise 11 the Trustees. That it is utterly 
at variance with the system of guardianship by which 
the laws of our country protect the rights of our citi- 
zens against every form of despotism. This is their 
scientific advice. And then, as scientific men, of course, 
they proceed to predict what the whole community will 
do about it. It will regard it " as a bitter and burning 
disgrace." And not content to stop here, they " pro- 



120 

ceed to make n another scientific prediction, — fatal, if 
verified, to the future prospects of the Observatory. 
All farther contributions for its support are to be 
obstructed. 

The Trustees have no inclination to hold up to ridi- 
cule any thing which men who have inscribed their 
names so high on the roll of fame, have seen fit, as sci- 
entific men, to do. They simply suggest the inquiry for 
others to answer, whether, in giving such advice, they 
have not done this for themselves ? 

These wise men next proceed to state, in their pre- 
amble to the second resolution of advice, that they have 
carefully examined Mr. Olcott's statement, and the result 
is, there is nothing in it. " They do not find in this 
statement any reasonable foundation for the serious 
charges " which had been made against Dr. Gould. Not 
only so, but they had also examined a large amount of 
documentary evidence on the other side, and the result 
was a triumphant refutation of all the charges which 
had been made against Dr. Gould. They, therefore, 
proceeded again to advise. The Trustees were accord- 
ingly made to know — scientifically of course — that if 
they dared to remove Dr. Gould, they would do very 
wrong. Such an act would be " a gross violation of 
their oligations to him." These gentlemen, it may be pre- 
sumed, felt all that they said. But the Trustees, in 
their " ignorance," of which so much has been said in 
the " Defence," really thought the advice was not within 
the scope of their commission. 



121 

Again the oracle speaks. The affairs of the Observa- 
tory had been " carefully examined," and it was found, 
of course, that everything had been " ably and judi- 
ciously conducted." " Zeal and energy " were written 
on every thing they saw, and on every side, they discov- 
ered •• the most indubitable proofs of the greatness of Dr. 
GouloVs capacity for astronomical investigation" It is 
true, they could not say much about " astronomical 
observation," but this they could say; that "no oppor- 
tunity for such observation had been permitted to 
pass unimproved." They are now prepared again to 
advise, and they accordingly admonish the Trustees 
that, if they do remove Dr. Gould, the Observatory will 
never get over it i 

Had the Scientific Council contented themselves with 
this "parting counsel," the Trustees, whatever they 
might have thought of its propriety, would probably 
have kept their thoughts to themselves. But, as " false 
prophets" sometimes do, not content with predicting 
the utter failure of the Observatory, if they and their 
associates should turn their backs upon it, they proceed 
to do what they can to fulfil their predictions. Of 
course, no astronomer could expect to survive their dis- 
approbation. Certainly, no one would voluntarily 
incur their frown. They, therefore, proceed, with due 
solemnity, to denounce as neither honorable nor trust, 
worthy any man who shall dare to occupy the place 
from which Dr. Gould has been so unjustly ejected 



122 

Whoever shall lay his unrighteous hands upon " the 
splendid instrument into which the suggestions of Dr. 
Gould's genius have been incorporated," must be pre- 
pared to meet the frowns of this angry council. 
Thus, these gentlemen seem to suppose that the fate of 
the Observatory, for all future time, is in their hands ; 
that it can only be saved from hopeless ruin by appeas- 
ing their wrath. That cannot be done, if Dr. Gould is 
removed. They therefore advise, lastly, that they can- 
not, by advice or in any other way, acquiesce in the 
removal of Dr. Gould. 

But, as in January, when so dark a cloud hung over 
it, " they did not desert it," so now, such is their love 
for the Observatory, that they cannot give it up without 
one more effort to save it. They have advised and pro- 
phesied ruin, and fulminated against the Trustees and 
every unlucky astronomer who should be tempted to 
take unrighteous possession of what Dr. Gould had 
been compelled to leave. But all this is not enough for 
them to do for the Observatory, One struggle more 
must be made. They resolve again, and they are again 
transformed. With men of such scientific attainments 
transformation is an easy process. They are no longer 
a Scientific Council, nor yet an appellate tribunal, 
clothed with authority to review and reverse, at plea- 
sure, anything that may have been done by the Trus- 
tees. They are now an Executive Committee, endowed 
with power to displace the Trustees — to take posses- 



123 

sion of the Observatory, and conduct its affairs accord- 
ing to their sovereign pleasure. 

The Trustees had now no alternative but to yield to 
necessity, and declare themselves absolved from all fur- 
ther connection with the Scientific Council ; holding 
them, as they do the rest of the scientific world, " ene- 
mies in war, in peace friends." Accordingly, on the 
3d of July they adopted the following resolutions : 

Whereas, At a meeting of the Trustees of the Dudley Observ- 
atory, held on the 19th of January, 1858, after reciting that 
Professors Henry, Bache, Pierce and Gould had been, on the 3d 
day of September, 1855, informally elected as the Scientific 
Council of the Board, and had acted as such, rendering valuable 
services, and that in order to give to their appointment the formal 
sanction of the Board at- a regular meeting thereof, it was 

Resolved, That the Board ratify and confirm the election of said 
persons as a Scientific Council, and will at all times be happy to 
receive from them any suggestions which they may deem calcu- 
lated to advance the object and aims of the Institution ; 

Whereas, by the charter of the Dudley Observatory, the 
Trustees alone are invested with power to manage the estate and 
concerns of the corporation, and to appoint such officers and 
servants as they may deem necessary; 

And whereas, Dr. B. A. Gould has heretofore been appointed 
the Director of this Observatory, and since such appointment, 
for reasons which this Board deemed not only sufficient to justify, 
but imperatively to demand such action, this Board has felt con- 
Strained to terminate its relations with Dr. Gould ; 

And whereas, denying the authority of this Board to control 
the affairs of the Institution, Dr. Gould has refused to submit to 
its action and appealed from its decision to the Scientific Council, 
and that body, assuming powers with which they were never 
clothed, and exercising authority which, as they can but know, 
it was never intended they should exercise, have constituted 
themselves a tribunal to sit in judgment upon the legitimate 
action of the Board, and have, with surprising assurance, assumed 
to condemn and reverse such action ; and having done this, have 
without authority or color of right, and in defiance of this Board, 
constituted themselves an Executive Committee to manage the 
affairs of the Observatory ; now therefore, 

Resolved, That this Board, impelled by the exigency of the 
circumstances, regard it as their imperative duty to declare, and 
they do hereby declare, the relations which have heretofore 



124 

existed between the Trustees and the Scientific Council, to be 
dissolved and terminated. 

Resolved, further, That this Board will feel constrained to 
regard the further occupation of the Observatory premises by the 
gentlemen composing the Scientific Council, or any other person 
by their authority, as a violation of the legal rights of this Board, 
so clear and manifest, that it cannot pass unnoticed; and that the 
President of the Board be authorised, in his discretion, to take 
all necessary measures to secure the possession and control of the 
property of the Institution. 

Resolved, That Prof. 0. M. Mitchell be appointed Director of 
the Observatory, and that Gen. Pruyn, Mr. Wilder and Dr. 
Armsby, be a committee to announce this appointment and invite 
Prof. Mitchell to visit this city, to consummate the necessary 
arrangements. 

Thus terminated the official connection between the 
Scientific Council and the Observatory. On the 10th 
of July following, Professors Bache, Henry, and Pierce, 
placed before the public an address which they denomi- 
nate a " Defence of Dr. Gould." This document has 
been widely circulated throughout the country under 
the official frank of the Coast Survey. One principal 
object of this publication seems to have been to divert 
the public attention from their acts of lawless usurpation. 
Hence, in the conclusion of their "Defence," these gen- 
tlemen publish their advisory resolutions, and omit the 
ast, in which they resolve to take violent possession of 
the Observatory. It is evident from the fact that this 
resolution was suppressed, that they were not ambitious 
to take the public judgment upon the propriety of their 
conduct. 

The style of this document is a little peculiar. It is 
scarcely what might have been expected from men 
whose whole life had been spent in the schools of science. 
The most cursory reader will not fail to observe on 



125 

every page some evidence of the satisfactory opinion 
the authors have of themselves, and their contempt for 
the " ignorance " of those who obstinately and unrea- 
sonably persist in refusing to surrender the Observa- 
tory to them. 

Many of the mis-statements and mis-representations 
with which the "Defence" abounds have already been 
noticed. Some must yet be exposed. But to go through 
the entire pamphlet and correct all that is erroneous, 
would swell this statement beyond the limits which the 
Trustees feel constrained to assign to it. 

In their " Defence V these gentlemen set out by stating, 
that by the use of their name, and under the pledge of their 
management, the large donation of Mrs. Dudley and 
many other smaller donations had been procured. 
This point has already been alluded to. These gen- 
tlemen, in their high appreciation of their own 
well-earned fame, have been known, sometimes, to 
assume, as their own, the credit which is due to others 
of less bold pretensions. They believe, undoubtedly, 
that it was upon their " faith and credit " that all the 
donations to the Observatory were made. For, what 
can science do without them ? Or who would do 
anything for science, without the sanction of their 
names ? The argument, to their minds, is conclusive. 
Mrs. Dudley must have given her great donation upon 
the faith of the arrangement by which, upon their own 
nomination, they were to become the Scientific Counsel 
of the Observatory. True, they had probably never 



126 

seen Mrs. Dudley — the application for the donation was 
made by Mr. Olcott alone — the fact of her intention to 
make it was communicated to him alone — these gentle- 
men were just as ignorant of the fact as any body else, 
until a few hours before the inauguration, when it was 
to be announced ; and yet they assert, again and again, 
not doubting the truth of the assertion, that, but 
for the all-important fact that their names had been 
associated with the Observatory, such donations could 
never have been made. Nothing is more natural than 
that such men should so think. The deferential homage 
which they exact from all the devotees and friends of 
science, encourages the belief that their countenance is 
indispensable to the success of every scientific enter- 
prise. And yet, rash and obdurate as they may seem, 
the Trustees cannot persuade themselves that a single 
dollar has been obtained for the Observatory, " by the 
use of the name "or " the pledge of the management " 
of the Scientific Council. Such is not the fact. 

It is true — and the Trustees take pleasure in doing 
this justice to the gentlemen composing the Scientific 
Council — that, when in New-York, at the request of the 
Trustees, they eloquently and effectively addressed the 
Board of Underwriters on the subject of the advan- 
tages promised to that city from the success of the 
Observatory — advantages which have never been real- 
ized ; but to the efforts of some of the Trustees alone 
is attributable the success of the application for aid 
from abroad. 



127 

The second head of the " Defence " is entitled " Loose 
Statements." " It seems hardly worth while/' say the 
Defenders, " to notice the numerous small inaccuracies 
of Mr. Olcott's statements, except as tending to show 
the looseness and disregard of precision with which it 
has been made up — for example, the liberal guaranty 
of the Hon. J. V. L. Pruyn r which induced the Superin- 
tendent to make his offer in 1855, is omitted." A brief 
reference to indisputable facts will show who makes 
" loose statements. 5 * Mr. Oleott made no statement on 
the subject at all. Of course he made no " loose state- 
ment." The Defenders have made a statement which is 
wholly unsupported by the truth of the case. The facts 
are as follows : — 

Prof. Bache, in a letter to Dr. Gideon Hawley, a 

Regent of the University, written on the 29th of August, 

1855, after speaking of the wants of the Coast Survey, 

says : 

li I have conferred with Dr. Armsby, who was present at the 
recent meeting of the American Association for the Advancement 
of Science, at Providence, and who has given me expectation 
that an arrangement may be made mutually advantageous to the 
Coast Survey and to the Albany Observatory, and furnishing full 
means for the solution of the important problem proposed/' 

Prof. Pierce, in giving an account of the same ar- 
rangement, before the meeting of the American Asso- 
ciation for the Advancement of Education, held imme- 
diately after the Providence meeting, described the 
conversation of Prof. Bache and himself with Dr. 
Armsby, and added : 

Dr. Armsby wrote home to Mr. Thomas W. Oleott, a conge- 
nial spirit and liberal patron of science, and who, taking the sub- 



128 

jeet in hand, found that many purses were eager to "be opened in 
the spirit of munificence ; but feeling that one individual, a lady, 
had the first claims to his astronomical addresses, he proposed 
the subject to her. With that ready nobleness with which a great 
heart causes the hand to respond instantly to its high impulses, 
Mrs. Dudley drew a check for the whole amount, and at a single 
stroke of the pen the six thousand dollars was obtained for the 
purchase of the Heliometer. 

Dr. Gould, speaking in the presence of Prof. Bache, at 
the Inauguration of the Dudley Observatory, and allud- 
ing to the first conversation between Prof. Bache and 
Dr. Armsby respecting the Heliometer, said : 

He (Dr. Armsby) guaranteed upon his own responsibility 
that Albany would provide one, although none yet existed within 
the United States. He immediately hastened to Newport, to 
confer with that friend of all noble enterprizes, the Hon. John 
V. L. Pruyn. On finding that Mr. Pruyn had left Newport ', 
he returned to Albany, and after further conferenee with Mr. 
Olcott, came back with a confirmation of his guarantee, pro- 
vided that the Coast Survey would take for awhile the direction 
and control of the Observatory, for its observations. 

The simple truth is, that Dr. Armsby, after his first 
guarantee to Prof. Bache at Providence, was naturally 
anxious to see and consult with an Albanian; and 
remembering that Mr. John V. L. Pruyn was at New- 
port, made a visit to that place, but found that Mr. 
Pruyn had left. He then returned to Albany, having 
previously written to Mr. Olcott the particulars of the 
arrangement suggested by Prof. Bache. Mr. Olcott, 
immediately on the receipt of this letter, called on Mrs. 
Dudley, who cheerfully and at once contributed $6,000 
for the purchase of the Heliometer. Dr. Armsby 
also called on Gen. Robert H. Pruyn, who wrote a con- 
gratulatory letter to Prof. Bache. The Providence 



129 

meeting having, in the meantime, adjourned, Dr. Armsby 
went to New-York, where Prof. Bache then was, in 
attendance at the meeting of the Association for the 
Advancement of Education, and communicated to him 
the result of his efforts Prof. Bache immediately ad- 
dressed the following letter to Gen. Robert H. Pruyn : 

New- York, August 29, 1855. 

Dear Sir : Your kind and cheering letter of Aug. 28th has 
"been handed to me by Dr. Armsby, and I have shown it to Prof. 
Pierce, who is here with me. 

We will be stimulated by this liberality to make the Dudley 
Observatory famed for its good works. I shall at once take the 
steps to procure the necessary instruments and to set matters in 
motion, so as to be all ready for the Pleiades when they come 
along, that none be lost. Yours truly, 

R. H. Pruyn, Esq. A. D. BACHE. 

Mr. John Y. L. Pruyn was never consulted, and never 
gave any " guarantee " at all. He first heard of 
the important and unconscious part he had played 
in this matter, from the published defence of Dr. 
Gould, and subsequently, with embellishments, from 
the lips of Prof. Bache, at a meeting in which both 
these gentlemen were prominent actors. At this 
meeting, whose chief object was to denounce the Trus- 
tees, and especially Mr. Olcott and Dr. Armsby, Profes- 
sor Bache, willing to do what he could for the comfort 
of his Albany friends who yet stood "faithful among 
the faithless," turning with a graceful bow to Mr. 
Pruyn, who was present upon that occasion, acknow- 
ledged, with a liberal measure of well-put compliments, 
that it was his " liberal guaranty " that had first 



14 



130 

induced him " to connect himself with the Observatory.' 
" That friend of all noble enterprises " graciously recip- 
rocated the bow, and silently appropriated to himself a 
very just tribute to the desert of another man. He 
must have thought, whatever may have been the views 
of Professor Bache, that however pleasant, these were 
rather "loose statements." 

Take another of these "loose statements." These 
Defenders say : 

"Dr. Gould not only purchased no Thermometers or Barome- 
ters abroad, but he placed none in charge of Mr. Gavit. * * * 
We cannot hold Dr. Gould responsible for the non- recovery of the 
insurance, which business clearly belongs to the financial agent of 
the Trustees." 

Again, the witness as to the " looseness " of these 
bold assertions shall be Dr. Gould himself. In a let- 
ter to Mr. Olcott, dated January 26, 1856, he writes: 
" Gavit will take charge of the Barometers and Thermo- 
meters home from Paris. I have written to him about it" 
On the same day he wrote the same to Dr. Armsby. On 
the 14th of August, 1856, Dr. Gould writes to Mr. 
Olcott : " The invoice enclosed pertains to the Barome- 
ters and Thermometers purchased by Gavit in Paris." 
And nearly fourteen months later, on the 3d of October, 
1857, Dr. Gould writes to Mr. Olcott respecting the 
insurance on the broken Barometer as follows: "That 
Barometer matter, it belonged of course to me to see about, 
and it has not been forgotten at any time." Neither 
of the Trustees had any share whatever in ordering 
these Barometers and Thermometers. 



131 

Comment upon this very loose statement of the gen- 
tlemen of the Scientific Council, the enthusiastic, if not 
discreet " defenders " of Dr. Gould, is unnecessary. 

Leaving the Barometers, the Council next enter upon 
the Dome. Mr. Olcott had stated that Dr. Gould had 
applied 'for the building of a new Dome. The Council 
boldly say : "The letters of Dr. Gould show that no 
such application was made." Let us see what that gen- 
tleman's letter really did say. He writes : 

"It (the Dome) ought to be rebuilt. * * * * The bad con- 
struction of the base cannot be remedied by any reasonable 
expenditure. * *■ # * As I cannot altogether surrender the 
hope of yet seeing some equatorial instrument in the dome before 
long, it seems to me that $1,800 could not be better employed 
at the Observatory. May I beg for your decision as early as 
possible V 

The Scientific Council might not regard this as an 
" application " — most men would. Who, then, makes 
the "loose statement?" 

The next "loose statement" in Mr. Olcott's letter is 

exposed by the Council in the following language : 

" Neither the estimates of Dr. Gould for mounting the instru- 
ments, nor his demands upon the Trustees, exceeded 83,800, as 
alleged by Mr. Olcott. The estimates, subsequent to January 
21, were requested by the Trustees, and, as will be subsequently 
shown, did not reach an amount in any way comparable with 
this sum. The details of them we give in the proper place." 

Turning to these Li details," which we are told are to 

show that Dr. Gould's demands upon the Trustees since 

January did not reach an amount in any way comparable 

with the sum of $3,000, we find them spread over several 

paragraphs. They are not given in a tabular form, as 

the Trustees, for the sake of convenience, will arrange 

them ; but, as stated by the Council, they are as follows : 



132 

Balance of longitude appropriation, $1,500 00 

For casing piers, 390 00 

For digging well, &c, 324 00 

For Mr. Bygate's salary, TOO 00 

For Messrs. Farmer and Polsey , 258 98 

For batteries, 110 00 

For rare old astronomical books, 350 00 

Total demands, by the Council's statement,. _ $3,632 98 



In addition to these amounts thus stated by the 
Council, Dr. Gould had asked for $300 for Pistor and 
Martins, and $300 in addition to what is stated above, 
to Farmer and Polsey j which would make the sum greater 
than that set down in round figures by Mr. Olcott. 

The Trustees are willing to believe that the Council 
did not sum up the items set forth in their li Defence n 
of Dr. Gould, and were ignorant of their aggregate 
amount ; but even then, it was rather a u loose state- 
ment," and shows that neither the services of Prof. 
Pierce, nor the " Calculating Machine," could have been 
put in requisition. 

There is another statement made by these Scientific 
gentlemen in this connection, which the Trustees find 
some difficulty in regarding as merely " loose." While 
still engaged upon this head, they say : 

1 There are other small matters which, in passing, it may be 
well to notice, such as these : 

That the pledge of Prof. Backe, to provide a transit for 
time, from the Coast Survey instruments, is one which has 

LONG BEEN REDEEMED I that the INSTRUMENT WAS MOUNTED 



133 

IN April, and has been in use on every clear night since that 
time." 

The " pledge " of Prof. Bache was to supply a Transit 
instrument for time, at a cost of $1,500, to be mounted 
and used in the Dudley Observatory. This instrument 
was purchased in Europe by Dr. Gould, in redemption 
of this " pledge." That it was the instrument agreed 
to be furnished by Prof. Bache is sufficiently evident 
from the fact that a room in the Observatory was pre- 
pared for it at a cost of several thousand dollars ; that 
it is now, and has been, for a year and a half past, at 
the Observatory ; and that the freight and charges upon it, 
amounting to about $300, have been paid by the Trustees. 

It still remains packed up in the boxes in which it 
arrived from Europe ! ! 

In speaking of this intrument, Mr. Olcott had said : 

" The splendid Transit instrument, the preparations for using 
which have cost the Trustees several thousand dollars, has been 
on hand twenty months, and the first step has not been taken 
towards mounting it, although the piers have been ready, the means 
provided, and Dr. Gould has been repeatedly requested to mount 
the instrument." 

When they come to speak of this instrument in their 

" Defence," they say : 

The Transit Instrument. — We agree with Dr. Gould, that 
under the present circumstances of the Observatory, it was not 
desirable to mount the large Transit instrument. The smal 
one already mounted is adequate to give time for the regular 
operations of the Institution, and for the other purposes for which 
it is now employed. To expose the first-named costly instrument 
to injury, by mounting it before it is to be used, is not expedient. 

And then in their summary, at the conclusion, they 

say : " The falseness of the statements in regard to the 

large Transit instrument are shown. 77 



134 

To say that such a statement is very " loose," will 
hardly do. It is very reckless. 

There are several other " statements " just as " loose" 
as those that have been exposed, but which the Trustees 
do not deem it worth while to notice. 

In his statement presented to the Board of Trustees. 
Mr. Olcott had said that Dr. Gould's superlative pre- 
cision and transcendental exactness in ordinary matters, 
had been but too lately discovered. He instanced the 
case of the piers. These, he said, must be built of 
stones so large and so free from the least imperfection, 
that the rich quarries of Lockport could not furnish a 
supply — that one of these stones, whose rejection had 
cost the Trustees about $1000, now graced their grounds, 
a monument of their folly in yielding to excessive par- 
ticularity. 

To this subject, under the head of " Precision and 

Exactness," the Defenders of Dr. Gould have devoted 

several pages, much of which is occupied with an 

inflated notice of themselves. All they say of the 

rejected stone is, that they have verified its unfitness 

for its purpose "by a close inspection." Then, in their 

summary, they have the following : 

The attack on Dr. Gould for his precision and exactness is 
next shown in its true light, as proving ignorance or something 
worse. The gravely made charge in regard to the Lockport stone, 
used to excite an unfounded prejudice against Dr. Gould, is dis- 
posed of by a summary statement of the facts. 

The facts on this subject are briefly these : When Dr. 

Gould took charge of the Observatory, one of the first 

subjects of attention was the piers. These were to be 



135 

procured in season to mount the instruments before the 
inauguration. He desired to have the largest piers in 
the world. They must be compact, homogeneous lime- 
stone. At Cambridge, granite is used. At West Point, 
sand-stone. At G-reenwich, the piers are in several 
pieces. At Oxford they are of brick or soft stone. At 
Bonne, of soft porous lime-stone. At Berlin and Paris 
of soft stone. At Pnlkowa, of granite. Orders were 
given to have the stones cut from the Lockport quarries. 
Five different blocks were rejected. At length, two 
were obtained which were pronounced as good as the 
quarries would furnish. They were sent to Albany and 
drawn up the Observatory hill. Upon the arrival of 
Dr. Gould, he pronounced them unfit for use. The only 
defect was, that one stone had a few pounds broken off at 
one corner of the base — a base six feet by nearly three, 
and intended to rest on a foundation of common build- 
ing stone. The stone, as it lies upon the Observatory 
grounds, has been noticed by other Astronomers, who 
have pronounced it the finest stone they ever saw. The 
piers, with the cap-stones, have cost over §8,000 — a sum 
exceeding, as the Trustees believe, the entire cost of 
all the piers, in all the other American Observatories. 

The " Ingenious Crane " is a kindred instance of the 
same " excessive particularity." All that Mr. Olcott 
said of this was that " an ingenious machine was in- 
vented by direction of Dr. Gould for placing the stones 
in position, which the masons would have done for one 
quarter the cost of the machine." 



136 

The Trustees, ignorant as they are, are not so igno- 
rant as not to know that great precision is necessary in 
placing such piers. But they also suppose that to move 
them to their place and elevate them, is a very simple 
and easy matter. A competent mechanic could do it 
all. But, to have a stone, which was to be devoted to 
such a purpose, moved and handled like common stones, 
would not suit the notions of Dr. Gould. He must 
have a crane contrived espcially for this purpose. He 
accordingly directed an engineer to prepare plans. 
These were sent to Cambridge, and there examined 
They were returned for alteration, and then sent to 
Cambridge again. Then they were sent to Washington 
to be examined and approved by Professor Bache and 
Henry. The plan, being thus prepared, the machine 
must be built at a cost of $500. The ropes, chains, 
pullies, &c, cost $150 more, and another sum of $150 
was spent in raising it and placing it in position to be 
used. And then, to crown the whole, the entire front 
wall of both wings of the building had to be taken 
down to allow this machine to operate. Most men, the 
Trustees think, would regard this, as a degree of " par- 
ticularity " amounting to great folly. These scientific 
gentlemen think otherwise. This is what they say : 

The apparatus for placing the great piers by which the Meri- 
dian Circle is supported, we consider as being at once ingenious, 
economical and well contrived. 

it may he that masons offered to place the stones in position 
for one-quarter the cost of the machine. In so doing, they 
showed an ignorance of the difficulty of the problem ; an igno- 
rance perfectly excusable in them, although its adoption is bo& 
excusable in Mr. Olcott. 



137 

Nor are these isolated cases. The iron shutters for 
the dome and the wings present an instance of still 
more inexcusable extravagance. The dome had been 
built of wood, according to Professor Mitchell's plan, 
at a cost of about $3000. It was intended that the 
shutters should be of wood also, and these would cost, 
perhaps, $300. In 1857, — in the midst of the financial 
troubles of the country, — Dr. Gould directed the archi- 
tect to prepare plans for flexible iron shutters— a thing, 
as the Trustees understand, unknown in any Observa- 
tory in the world. The plan has been executed. The 
shutters have been made, and now they are too heavy 
for the dome. A new dome must be built, at a cost of 
$3000 or more, or else the shutters, which, with the 
machinery for opening and closing them, cost nearly 
$2000, must be lost. Dr. Gould also caused expen- 
sive machinery to be constructed for opening the 
shutters of the wings. The practical loss to the Ob- 
servatory, arising from these injudicious expendi- 
tures, is probably not less than $5000. The attentive 
reader of the " Defence " will observe that, notwith- 
standing the rhetoric expended on this subject, these 
facts are uncontroverted. 

Chronographs were deemed necessary for the Obser- 
vatory. Such an instrument, the object of which is to 
record the exact time of making an observation, had 
been invented by the Messrs. Bond of Cambridge ; but 
an instrument of their invention would not do for Dr. 



138 

Gould, although in use by the Coast Survey. He must 
have something new. He accordingly set an artist 
of Boston, at work to make a Chronograph, containing 
a new regulating principle. The experiment was a 
failure. It cost the Observatory $750. 

The "Defenders" of Dr. Gould, have a head de- 
voted to Clocks and Chronographs. The reader, if he 
has the " Defence " before him, will doubtless find 
amusement, and perhaps instruction, in what is said 
under this head, but he will find nothing about this 
experimental Chronograph, although it was distinctly 
mentioned by Mr, Olcott in his statement of facts. 

The " Defence " contains large extracts from what is 
called a report of Dr. Gould made to the Scientific 
Council on the 21st of December, 1857. The commu- 
nication seems to have been made with a view to put 
the Council in possession of Dr. Gould's version of the 
origin of the difficulties which had led to his dismissal, 
and the appointment of Dr. Peters. It will be observed 
that the date of the "report" corresponds with the 
period of those difficulties. In the extract which it 
has been thought proper to give in the " Defence/' we 
find Dr. Gould using the following language : 

"In alluding to these difficulties, I desire only to cite them 
as illustrative of the state of affairs and constant embarrassment 
since my first connection with the Observatory. I have found 
it throughout in/possible to prevent continual interference, lead- 
ing alike to very large and entirely unnecessary outlay, and to 
results at variance with my taste and judgment. From you and 
my most intimate friends I have not for the past year con' 
cealed this state of affai? s. 



139 

" Being not only influenced by considerations of taste and of 
economy, but impelled also by apprehensions as to points essen- 
tial to the proper performance of the work going on, as regards 
its adaptation for astronomical use, I urged upon the Executive 
Committee the importance of permitting the work to be guided 
by one mind alone. They readily acceded to my views ; and so 
strongly was I impressed with the importance of preventing the 
recklessly lavish and injudicious expenditures of Dr. Armsby, 
that, although oppressed, as you are aware, with overwhelming 
labors, I undertook the responsibility and care incident to the 
entire charge of the work, and was formally installed by the 
Executive Committee as Director, and clothed with full execu- 
tive powers. I was assured that no outlay should be made or 
expense incurred without my approval. 

" I visited Albany even more frequently than before, and 
gave attention to all matters of detail. But to my pain and 
sorrow I found all in vain. My orders were constantly 
and persistently DISREGARDED, and at each successive visit 
I found more numerous demonstrations that my Directorship was 
but nominal. Written directions were set at naught, and the 
same tendencies as before were manifested. 

" Since this period, the expenditures appear to have been going 
on as before, at a rate which may almost, be characterized as 
inordinate, although the work appears to be performed, as a 
general thing, in a very inferior style. With the circumstances 
attending the erection of the dwelling-house, gas-house, &c, you 
are already familiar, and I need not recapitulate them. They 
will serve as illustrations." 

Xow, in reference to the statements contained in these 
passages, which, let it be observed, were originally 
designed for the eye of the Scientific Council alone, it 
is worthy of remark, that not a single instance is speci 
fled, in which his " orders had been disregarded," or his 
" written directions set at naught." Dr. Armsby is 
specially selected as an object of his spleen, and the 
Scientific Council are informed that Dr. Gould had been 
very surprisingly exercised about the importance of 
preventing his " recklessly lavish and injudicious ex- 
penditures." 

It is probable that the Scientific Council were made 



140 

to believe this. It is very likely, too, that some of 
their sympathizers in Albany have been brought to 
believe it. But the Trustees cannot imagine that such 
statements will find credence beyond the sphere of these 
influences. That the most extravagant and fruitless 
expenditures had been made, was a fact against which 
even Dr. Gould could not close his eyes ; that the confi- 
dence of the Trustees in Dr. Gould had now become 
greatly impaired, was also a fact of which he was then 
not unaware ; that the blame of these " recklessly lavish 
and injudicious expenditures " must fall somewhere, was 
obvious even to Dr. Gould himself. In view of these 
facts, he seeks to shield himself, by charging the Trus- 
tees, and particularly Dr. Armsby, with all this conceded 
extravagance. 

The theory of his defence is adopted by his Defenders, 
and the charge of "wasteful expenditure" is boldly 
made against the Trustees, and Dr. Gould is acquitted 
of all blame ! 

It cannot have escaped the observation of the atten- 
tive and candid reader, that neither Dr. Gould, nor the 
gentlemen who defend him, have ventured to specify a 
single case in which Dr. Gould has been overruled by 
the Trustees, or any other person; or in which his 
" orders have been disregarded," or his " directions set 
at naught;" nor a single case in which Dr. Armsby or 
any other person has directed any expenditure to be 
made, contrary to his instructions, or against his wishes. 
These gentlemen must have been aware that, had they 



141 

undertaken to specify even a single instance in which 
this had been done, it would have been quite easy to 
disprove their allegations. 

As the issue is left to stand upon general charges, 
without specification, the Trustees, averring that all the 
expenditures at the Observatory, from the time Dr. 
Gould became connected with it, were made under his 
immediate direction, or with his concurrence and appro- 
bation, proceed to give what they regard as the most 
satisfactory evidence to support their own statements, 
and disprove those of Dr. Gould. They present the 
testimony of the architects and mechanics, under whose 
immediate charge and supervision all the work at the 
Observatory was done. The intelligence and integrity 
of these men are beyond all impeachment. The follow- 
ing letters have been received from them. They will 
be found exceedingly pertinent upon the question of 
" wasteful expenditures :" 

[From William Hodgins, Esq., Architect and Civil Engineer.] 

Albany, January 18th, 1858. 
To Trustees of Dudley Observatory: 

Gentlemen — In reply to your enquiries, I beg to state, that 
the alterations and enlargements in the west wing of the Dudley 
Observatory, in front, were authorized and approved by Dr. Gould. 
The taking down of the front wall was absolutely necessary, for 
the purpose of receiving and setting the large capstone and piers, 
as well as for placing the Collimater pier, and the foundation. 
This was all authorised by Dr. Gould. 

The taking down and enlargement of the rear of this room, (as 
I learnt at the time,) was a mere mistake of the contractor, and 
not known to you, Dr. Peters or me, until the opening had been 
made. 

Dr. Peters and myself were very much displeased, and on men- 
tioning the matter to you, I recollect that you immediately charged 
the contractor to do nothing again without my special order. 



142 

The Collimator pier of the rear enlargement was then ordered 
by Dr. Gould, who thought it would be needed for some purpose, 
which 1 do not now recollect, and the enlargement was ordered by 
him to correspond with that on the east wing, as the wall had 
already been taken down. 

All this took place in the months of August, September and 
October, 1856, and the walls of this room, both in front and rear, 
were closed in during the latter part of November, of the same 
year. 

The rear wall of the Circle room, was built up in October, I 
believe ; the front wall was necessarily kept open during the whole 
winter, in consequence of Dr. Gould's objections to the piers from 
the Lockport quarries, and the time occupied in procuring others 
from Kingston. 

All of the work above referred to was commenced in the summer 
of 1856, and was in progress at the Inauguration. 

I do not recollect, during the whole time I was Engineer at 
the Observatory, that any ivork has been performed under my 
supervision, not approved or authorized by Dr. Gould, and the 
plans, in all cases personally submitted to him. 
I have the honor to be 

Respectfully your servant, 

WILLIAM HODGINS, 

Architect and Civil Engineer, Exchange Building. 
[From W. W. Hague, Esq., Architect and Engineer.] 
To the Trustees of the Dudley Observatory: 

Gentlemen — I hereby certify that I was employed as Engi- 
neer on the Dudley Observatory building, from about the 1st of 
October, 1856, until the middle of February, 1857. 

During the whole of that period, nothing was done by me, or 
by my orders, or under my supervision, without directions from 
Dr. Gould, nearly all of which were in writing, and copies of 
which are still in my possession, except in a single instance, when, 
varying from the general order of Dr. Gould to have all work 
done by the job, the work of raising and setting the Kingston 
stone, was done by the day, and at a much less cost. The plans 
for the dwelling-house, prepared under Dr. Gould's direction, in 
Boston, were found to be too costly. No delay was ever occa- 
sioned to the work, except by the detention arising from the 
transmission of plans to and from Cambridge, and the examina- 
tion by Dr. Gould. 

Wm. W. HAGUE. 

Albany, July 29th, 1858. 

[From B. F. Smith, Esq., Architect and General Superintendent.] 
T. W. Olcott, Esq.: 

Dear Sir — I have reviewed carefully the whole history of my 
connection with the Dudley Observatory, as Engineer and Archi- 
tect, and can truly and confidently state, that nearly every 



143 

expenditure incurred at the Observatory since my connection with 
it, has been authorized by Dr. Gould. I do not believe tha 
one hundred dollars of expense has been incurred except under 
his direction, unless in connection with the G-as-house, and this 
I think was under the direction of Dr. Aubin. 

My connection with the Observatory commenced on the 28th 
of February, 1857. The west wing of the Observatory was at 
that time enclosed, and nearly finished. The east wing was still 
open in front, the large piers only having been placed in position; 
considerable delay having been occasioned by the failure of the 
large Lockport pier, and the necessity of going to Kingston for 
others. All of the work on the Observ itory, from the time I 
entered upon my duties as Architect and Superintendent, until 
the present time, has been done by the authority a?id under the 
direction of Dr. Gould. The plans have in all instances been 
submitted to him for approval. Nothing has been commenced 
without his verbal or written directions. In regard to the house, 
the plans, which were made in Boston, for Dr. G-ould, were sent 
to me to revise and make out working drawings and specifications. 
On examination of the plans and specifications, I found them so 
inaccurate, that they could not be used with any advantage. I 
gave them to several of our best builders, to make an estimate 
for the dwelling. After having looked them over, they were 
returned to me with a refusal to make an estimate, as they could 
not comprehend in a clear manner to warrant making a bill that 
would be satisfactory. On asking their opinion, what they 
thought would be the probable cost, they all concluded from eight 
to ten thousand dollars. I could not find any one that icould 
say he icould build the house from that plan for nine thousand 
dollars. It is my honest opinion, that the Boston plan icould 
have cost as much, if not more, than the present one. I am not 
alone in that opinion. I stated the difficulties to Dr. Gould, and 
proposed to make new plans and specifications for him, to which 
he consented. I made new plans, and sent them to Cambridge, 
for his inspection. He returned them to me with his suggestions, 
to which I conformed as far as practicable. When he again 
returned to Albany, we spent considerable time in reviewing the 
plans, and comparing them with the plans from Boston, story 
with story, and room for room. After we had gone through 
with them, I understood him to give a distinct approval, and 
directions to go on at once. In a letter received soon after the 
Doctor left Albany, he says : " In regard to the two plans, I have 
no preference in the matter, other than to obtain the best accom- 
modations." The present building is superior in every respect 
to what the other would have been, if built after the Boston 
plan. It is superior in solidity, in arrangement, in convenience, 
and in accommodations. The rooms are larger, better arranged, 
more convenient, and more of them. The insurance will not be 
more than half the amount it would be, if built of wood. Asd 



144 

the location is one hundred per cent, in its favor. I never before 
tried so hard to suit any man, as I have Dr. Gould, in everything 
I have done. I am your most obedient 

And very humble servant, 

B. F. SMITH. 

[From Messrs. Boardman and Waggoner, Carpenters.] 

Albany, June 15, 1858. 
Messrs. Olcott y Vosburgk and Jtrmsby: 

Gentlemen — In reply to your enquiries relative to the Observ- 
atory, we will state, that all of the carpenters' work done by us 
was done according to directions given by the architects, who 
received their instructions from Dr. Gould. We were told by 
you to do nothing until we had particular instructions from the 
architects, and to follow them strictly ; that Dr. Gould was very 
particular, and you wished to do everything possible to please 
Mm. In every instance we did as we were directed. 
Yours, respectfully, 

BOARDMAN & WAGGONER. 

[From Messrs. "W. and D. Turner, Masons.] 
Messrs. Qlcott, Vosburgh and jirmsby: 

Gentlemen — You ask for information concerning the work 
done by us on the Observatory building. We endeavored to 
follow strictly the directions given us by the architects, who, 'we 
always understood, were acting under special and written 
instructions from Dr. Gould. We were satisfied that the cost 
of the work was very great, and often mentioned it to you ; and 
you said Dr. Gould must have everything his own way, and you 
wished to do all to his satisfaction. We do not mean to blame 
any of the architects, who were acting under written orders from 
Dr. Gould, which we understood the committee had told them to 
follow. Very costly stones were rejected, and others procured, 
at very great expense, and of an inferior quality. The same 
remarks would apply to much of the work done there in 1856 
by us. We are very respectfully yours, 

Albany, June 23d, 1858. W. & D. TURNER. 

Mr. Olcott, in his remarks, took occasion to say that 
Dr. Gould had complained of the dwelling house, and 
then proceeded to add that Dr. Gould had procured 
specifications to be drawn in Boston, after his own 
plans, which were so badly contrived that they were 
abandoned, and a new plan was drawn here, changing 
the material from wood to brick, without increasing the 



145 

expense ; that this new plan was submitted to Dr. Gould 
"by Mr. Smith, the architect, and discussed room by room, 
and approved by him before the house was built. 

In respect to this subject, the following language is 
found in the "Defence:" "Dr. Gould informs us that 
the new plan was not ' submitted to him, and discussed 
room by room,' as Mr. Olcott asserts." 

The matter itself would scarcely deserve a notice 
here, were it not for the question of veracity which it 
directly involves. It is an instance of what the 
Trustees have had occasion but too frequently to notice 
during the progress of this controversy, great careless- 
ness on the part of Dr. Gould as to the truthfuness of 
his statements. Mr. Smith says, that upon the return 
of Dr. Gould to Albany, he spent considerable time 
with him " in reviewing the plans and comparing them 
with the plans from Boston, story with story, and room 
for room." 

Before dismissing the "report of Dr. Gould" to his 
scientific brethren, the reader is invited, in contrast 
with the complaints which he says he had been making 
to them and " his most intimate friends" for the past year, 
to refer back to the letters written by him to Mr. Olcott 
and Dr. Armsby, during the same period. In his letter 
of the 20th of June, he says : " The work upon the hill 
is apparently going on well. I trust that your arrange- 
ments will be as fruitful and successful as they are wisely 
and judiciously devised. 11 In another he is found acknowl- 
edging personal courtesies, and in another, the receipt 
U 



146 

of a gratuity of $300, as a contribution towards his pre- 
tended loss in the publication of the Astronomical 
Journal. 

The defenders of Dr. Gould have seen fit to devote 
one head of their " Defence" to a vindication of 
Dr. Gould for his delay in coming to Albany. Upon 
this head the Trustees do not choose to expend 
many words. They are now convinced that it would 
have been better for the Observatory, and very likely 
it would have been better for Dr. Gould himself, if he 
had n9Aer come to Albany at all. 

But there are one or two things which the Trustees 
deem worthy of notice in this connection. The one 
relates to the claim of Dr. Gould to occupy the Obser- 
vatory. Upon this subject, his Defenders hold the fol- 
lowing language : 

" He (Dr. Gould) had given no pledge that he would perma- 
nently accept the office of Director previous to the completion of 
the endowment ; the only presumption that he would accept it 
after that condition had been fulfilled, arose from the zeal he had 
manifested in the cause." 

In this statement the Trustees concur. Dr. Gould 
had not accepted the office of Director. It had not 
been tendered to him. He was under no obligations to 
accept it, nor were the Trustees under any obligations 
to confer it upon him. Is there not then some affecta- 
tion in the attempt of these gentlemen to excite sympa- 
thy on behalf of Dr. Gould, by referring to that " off- 
svring of his genius — the Meridian Circle?" How 
romantic and sentimental they grow all at once, " The 



147 

degree of personal feeling" they say, " must be intense, 
which would sever the Director from this instrument, 
without giving him the opportunity of establishing its 
reputation, and securing it from the obloquy behind 
which some unskillful observer migh* seek to hide his 
own incapacity." But suppose the application for a 
Professorship in Columbia College, with a salary of 
$5,000 had been successful, what, then, would have 
become of all this romance and sentimentality ? 

Another remark made by the gentlemen who defend 
Dr. Gould, in this connection, is that " Dr. Gould is, 
after Mrs. Dudley, the principal contributor to the Obser- 
vatory," by the devotion of his time, his talents, his 
thoughts and his labor. 

Upon this point, the Trustees are not inclined to raise 
a question. They prefer to leave the reader to form his 
own judgment after he has seen what Dr. Gould has 
really done for the Observatory. They regard the state- 
ment, however, as having this importance. It shows, 
as the Trustees think, the exalted opinion which these 
gentlemen have of themselves, and of one another ; and 
what any person who has the temerity to question any 
thing they may say or do, has to expect at their hands. 
The Trustees would not undervalue the opinion of such 
men, and yet they cannot place so high an estimate upon 
what Dr. Gould has done for the Observatory. 

The "Defence "has another head devoted to "The 
sacrifice of Dr. Peters." Upon this subject the Trus- 
tees have already said all that they deem necessary. 



148 

But a word or two, in this connection, on the subject of 
the "Olcott Comet," may be allowed. "Dr. Gould," 
his Defenders say, " had directed Dr. Peters to institute a 
search for comets." His object in giving this direction, 
we are told, was, that by some discoveries of this kind, 
he might " obtain for the new Observatory a certain 
popular favor." "Four comets," they say, "appeared 
and were detected elsewhere, before Dr. Peters' search 
proved successful." This fact, of course, is deemed 
worthy of mention. It detracts a little from the merit 
of Dr. Peters j and whatever will have that effect, should 
not be omitted. But at last Dr. Peters found a comet. 
It was a little thing — " a telescopic comet." He dis- 
covered it two days before anybody else. The dis- 
covery was no great affair, and yet Dr. Gould conde- 
scended — such was his disinterested magnanimity — to 
bestow upon it " his generous commendation." He did 
this, his Defenders say, all the more, because he thought 
it would gratify Messrs. Armsby and Olcott. But Dr. 
Peters made a great mistake. It was unfortunate for 
him that he discovered it at all. Having done so, how- 
ever, it was his business, according to the usage of those 
who have anything to do with comets, to give it a name. 
Most comets that have a known period as this has, bear 
the name of the discoverer, or of some friend or patron 
whom he desires to honor. Dr. Peters, had he been 
shrewd, would, at once, have decided that this "new 
comer " should have been called the " Gould Comet.% 
This would have been excellent. 0r> he might well 



149 

have called it the " Bache Comet." No one would have 
doubted the fitness of such a name. Or, perhaps better 
still, it might have been called the " Coast Survey." 
But Dr. Peters, in his simplicity, forgot all these pro- 
prieties, and, as these Scientific gentlemen say, V pre- 
tended to confer upon the celestial visitant the name of 
the Olcott Cornet" This they pronounce " a ridiculous 
procedure." They, of course, know — they are wise 
about such things. If they say it was ridiculous, so' it 
must be. There is no appeal from their judgment on 
such a question. " The world," they say, " would 
hardly confer upon a telescopic comet the name of the 
then Vice President of the Trustees." 

On the discovery of the Comet, Dr. Gould himself 
wrote that " it was a very pretty idea to give the Comet 
the esteemed name of the excellent Mr. Olcott," but on 
more reflection, and probably after conferring with his 
associates in the Scientific Council, it was found to be 
" entirely unwarranted by astronomical usage," and Dr. 
Gould, in his official capacity, as editor of the Astro- 
nomical Journal, although of course desirous of grati- 
fying the feelings of Mr. Olcott, felt constrained to 
strike out the name of Olcott and call it the " Fourth 
Comet of 1857." To have had his name thus stricken 
from the celestial catalogue, these gentlemen really pre- 
tend to think, " must have grated on Mr. Olcott's feel- 
ings," and influenced his subsequent course in relation 
to Dr. Gould. The whole thing is contemptible and 
puerile. It has been alluded to, only for the purpose 



150 

of exhibiting the spirit with which the " Defence" has 
been conducted. None bnt men who were themselves 
affected by a morbid greediness for praise, could have 
conceived of such influences. 

Kindred to the last, is an allusion to another member 
of the Board, who has in the discharge of his official 
duty felt constrained to oppose the continuance of Dr. 
Gould at the Observatory. It seems, that some drills 
were obtained at the Iron Works, of which this Trustee 
is one of the proprietors, by the mechanics employed 
by Dr. Gould to drill the piers. They were made of 
the form and material ordered, and were experimental. 
Two of the seven made, broke while in use. Dr. Gould, 
when settling for the work on the piers, refused to 
allow the charge for the tools. These honorable 
gentlemen gravely put forth this little circumstance, as 
evidence of moral courage — "indicating," they say, "a 
fearless determination to do right." It is significantly 
added, that this member of the Board " has since that 
time been among the most active in his opposition to 
Dr. Gould, and in the attempts to annoy and persecute 
him." 

In referring to the arrangement that was made be- 
tween the Trustees and the Scientific Council at their 
meeting in January, these gentlemen say, that "the 
first of Mr. Olcott's propositions was, to place the Ob- 
servatory immediately and entirely in Dr. Gould's 
charge, subject only to the Scientific Council in scientific 
matters, provided he would bring two assistants with 



151 

him, and provided all would labor without expense to 
the Observatory, Mr. Olcott guaranteeing at the same 
time that the small amount necessary for mounting the 
instruments and the indispensable equipments, should 
be furnished." They also added that "the resolutions 
of the Board, at this time, confirmed their appointment 
as a Scientific Council, and ratified the proposition of 
Mr. Olcott," 

The resolutions adopted by the Board at the time 
referred to are as follows : 

Whereas, this Board did, on January 9, 1858, adopt the fol- 
lowing : 

"Resolved, That the Board of Trustees of the Dudley Observ- 
atory, as legal guardians of the Institution entrusted to their care, 
must claim an undivided and entire control over its property, 
the appointment of its officers, and its general policy. But 
while doing so, they most gratefully recognize the valuable co-ope- 
ration and advice which they have received from the Scientific 
Council, and the distinguished Superintendent of the Coast Survey, 
and will ever receive with the greatest deference and respect the 
suggestions of gentlemen whose names are so illustrious in science, 
and who are so distinguished in their efforts for its advancement." 

And whereas, Professors Bache, Henry, Pierce and Gould 
were, on the 3d of September, 1855, informally elected as the, 
Scientific Council or this Board, and have acted as such, ren- 
dering valuable service, and in order to give their appointment the 
formal sanction of this Board at a regular meeting, therefore 

Resolved, That we ratify and confirm the election of said per- 
sons as such Scientific Council, and that we shall at all times be 
happy to receive from them any suggestions which they may deem 
calculated to advance the object and aims of the Institution. 

Resolved, That the Board of Trustees ratify the proposition of 
Mr. Olcott, on behalf of the Trustees, which has been accepted 
by Prof. Bache, of the U. S. Coast Survey, That the Observatory, 
under the supervison of the Scientific Council, shall be imme- 
diately placed in operation, and in charge of Dr. B. A. Gould, 
Jr., and his assistants, in the employ and pay of the United 
States Coast Survey. 

These resolutions are explicit, They declare the 

right of the Trustees to an undivided and entire contro- 



152 

over the property of the Observatory — the appointment 
of its officers, and its general policy. The appointment 
of the u Scientific Council" is ratified and confirmed, and 
their office and duties as such Council are distinctly 
defined — and then the arrangement which had been set- 
tled upon between Professor Bache and Mr. Olcott is 
adopted. This arrangement is expressly stated in the 
resolution. It is " that the Observatory, under the 
supervision of the Scientific Council, shall be immedi- 
ately placed in operation, and in charge of Dr. B. A. 
Gould, Jr., and his assistants, in the employ and pay of 
the United States Coast Survey." 

That a copy of these resolutions was placed in the 
hands of the Scientific Council, is evident from the fact 
stated in the " Defence," that, at a meeting of the Coun- 
cil, held at Philadelphia, on the 8th of February, but of 
which the Trustees heard nothing, they undertook to 
correct what they call " an accidental error or want of 
precision in the statement of the Trustees 7 resolution.'' 

The "Defence" states that "the Council understood 
that this arrangement pledged the Trustees and Council 
mutually for at least two years." Can these gentlemen 
be sincere in saying this? With the resolutions em- 
bodying in the plainest terms, the whole arrangement 
between the Trustees and themselves, can they be honest 
when they pretend that the parties were pledged to each 
other to continue the arrangement then adopted, "for 
at least two years." And yet it is upon this shallow 
pretext alone, that these men attempt to justify or at 



153 

least excuse themselves for taking possession of the 

Observatory. 

Under the head of " Gross and Deliberate Insults," 

the defenders of Dr. Gould state as follows : 

" Yotes of the Executive Committee were communicated to Dr. 
Gould, by the Secretary, on the ninth of March, showing that the 
Committee had actually met ; but no notice was given of any 
action relating to the casing of the piers, and the cost of bringing 
the Calculating Engine into use. When Dr. Gould called upon 
the President, in his letter of March 10th, in reference to this 
matter, the Secretary of the Trustees, Dr. Armsby, replies that 
he " inadvertently omitted to send" him the resolutions relating 
to it: so that, had not Dr. Gould made his appeal, the action 
of the Committee would not have been known to him, the piers 
might to this day be without essential covering, and the Calcu- 
lating Machine might still be unused. Such an omission by a 
Secretary might be called by a less mild term than inadvertence." 

The facts are as follows : On the 9th, in the afternoon, 
the Secretary sent copies to Dr. Gould of certain reso- 
lutions passed at a meeting three days previous, at which 
Br. Gould was present, but omitted accidentally two 
resolutions also passed at the same meeting, relative to 
the Calculating Machine and Pier casings. On the 
morning of the 10th, discovering the omission, he sent 
a copy of the resolutions and an explanatory note to 
the Director. 

On the same day — whether before or subsequent to 

the receipt of the Secretary's letter, is unknown to the 

Trustees — Dr. Gould addressed a letter to the President 

of the Board, informing him of the omission in the 

Secretary's first letter. He says : 

I find no mention of the votes by which I understood myself 
to be authorized to incur the expenses necessary for bringing the 



154 

Calculating Engine into use, and for casing the piers — within the 
estimates presented. 

Please inform me if I am under misunderstanding, for 1 had 
already begun to take steps under the supposed authority. 

In the face of this, the Council say, " had not Dr. 
Gould made his appeal, the action of the committee 
would not have been known to him, and the piers 
might have been to this day without covering, and the Cal- 
culating Machine unused." The affair, in itself of small 
account, serves to illustrate the peculiar infirmities of 
Dr. Gould, and to shew how ready he was, when fur- 
nishing to the Scientific Council the materials for his 
" Defence/' to pervert the truth. 

A great effort has been made in the " Defence," and 
elsewhere, to excite sympathy in behalf of Dr. Gould, 
on account of his connection with the " Olcott Meridian 
Circle." A bold, and, as the Trustees believe, a dis- 
honest attempt has been made, to have credit awarded 
to Dr. Gould, in respect to this splendid instrument, to 
which he is not entitled. The circumstances under 
which it was constructed, and the experience which the 
Trustees have had of the " peculiarities " of Dr. Gould, 
are such, that they have thought it worth while to make 
some inquiries as to the extent to which the concep- 
tions of Dr. Gould's genius have entered into the con- 
struction of this instrument. 

Dr. Gould, at his own instance, but at the expense, 
and as the agent of the Trustees, had gone to Europe 
and contracted for its construction. The instrument 
itself was never seen by him either in the hands of the 



155 

makers or after its arrival in this country, except as it 
lay in its box, until after his dismissal, when he was 
aroused to a spasmodic effort to have it mounted, It 
has never been pretended that he gave any specific 
directions to the makers, as to any particular improve- 
ment that he, in the exercise of his genius, had con- 
ceived. So far as the Trustees are able to learn, the 
only directions given were, that the instrument should 
contain every known improvement. The Trustees r 
indeed, believe it to be one of the noblest instruments 
of its class, but they have yet to ascertain in what par- 
ticular, the makers have incorporated into it " the sug- 
gestions of Dr. Gould's genius. 77 

Having learned that the instrument had been exam- 
ined by an experienced astronomer, Professor Brun- 
now, of the Ann Arbor Observatory, while yet in the 
hands of its makers, a letter was addressed to that gen- 
tleman inquiring what there was in the instrument 
which entitled Dr. Gould to any special consideration. 
The answer to this letter is admirable, both for its can- 
dor and the clearness of its statements, It is as fol- 
lows : 

Saratoga, July 31, 1858. 

Dear Si?' : The Meridian Circle of the Dudley Observatory, 
or, as I should say, the Olcott Meridian Circle, (for this name has 
been given to the instrument in honor of its generous donor, and 
is engraved on the cube of the axis,) is a very excellent one, 
which does great honor to the skill and genius of Mr. Martins, 
its maker. It has all the new improvements, which were first 
applied in the construction of the Meridian Circle, made a few 
years ago for the Observatory at Ann Arbor, by the same dis- 
tinguished artist. As a Transit instrument it is essentially the 
same instrument as the one at Ann Arbor ; the only difference of 



156 

the two lies in the way in which the microscopes are fastened. 
Those of the Ann Arbor instrument are attached to the solid 
discs, which bear the Y pieces, and can be fastened to any point 
of them with great ease, and yet with perfect security, rendering 
thus a separate apparatus for the determination of the errors of 
the division unnecessary. The microscopes of the Olcott Circle are 
larger, and embedded in the stone piers in the same way as those 
of the large Meridian Circle of the Greenwich Observatory. Both 
constructions have their peculiar advantages, and I am not able 
to tell which of the two I like the best. The illumination of the 
wires of the telescope, and of those parts of the division which are 
visible in the microscopes by the same stationary lamps, is also 
similar to the arrangement of the Greenwich instrument, though 
Mr. Martins has added some improvements. 

Nobody can deny that the Olcott Circle is an excellent instru- 
ment ; nay, being the last one made by an artist, who never 
builds several instruments after the same plan, and always tries 
to make improvements, it may not be too much to say that the 
instrument is the very best now in existence. But, ivith this 
exception, that the level of the Olcott Circle hangs on the same 
part of the pivots, which rests on the Y pieces, I have not found, 
anything in the construction of the instrument which has not 
been applied before in the construction of the Ann Arbor and 
of the Greenwich Circle. I, myself, should have proposed a 
different arrangement for moving the telescope, as the fore-arms, 
which are fastened to the axis near one of the Circles, in the 
same manner as in the Ann Arbor instrument, are not as con- 
venient for use, owing to the greater length of the Telescope ; at 
least so it appeared to me, when I saw the instrument during my 
stay at Berlin. 

I have the honor to remain, 

Yours, very respectfully, 
Thos. W. Olcott, Esq. F. BRUNNOW. 

The Trustees can but think the intelligent reader ot 
this letter will be convinced, as they are themselves, 
that, to say the least, Dr. Gould and his friends have 
greatly overvalued the suggestions of his genius which 
have been incorporateo 1 into this splendid instrument. 
It is quite too poetical to call it " The offspring of his 
genius. 77 

The Council refer briefly to the act of Dr. Gould in 
sending a ''gratuity" to the makers of the Meridian 



157 

Circle, and endeavor to explain it, by the pretence that 
the three hundred dollars was intended by him as a 
gift from himself to those gentlemen. The facts are 
as follows : When the balance due to Pistor & Martins 
on their bill was about to be remitted to them, Dr. 
Gould suggested, and pressed upon the President of 
the Board, the propriety of adding a gratuity. This 
was declined at the time, on the ground that an oppor- 
tunity should at least be afforded to examine the 
instrument. Subsequently, on the 14th of June, after 
having, as he states, thoroughly examined the instru- 
ment, and found that there were no defects that could 
be made the subject of reclamation, he writes: "I be- 
lieve I mentioned to you that I sent Pistor & Martins 
three hundred dollars, as a gratuity." 

What construction could be placed upon such an 
announcement? If a personal matter, why announce 
it in an official communication, and in such a connec- 
tion ? The President certainly looked upon it, as any 
business man would, as a notice that the gratuity before 
applied for by Dr. Gould, and withheld by the Board 
for the reasons stated, had been subsequently sent, on 
behalf of the Board, by the Director. He, therefore, 
wrote a letter expressing surprise and dissatisfaction 
that the unauthorised gift should have been made with- 
out the consent of the Board. 

A very brief allusion is made in the Defence to " the 
story of a gentleman from the West," as it is called, and 
it is disposed of in the following manner : 



158 

The story of the gentleman from the West, which is intro- 
duced by Mr. Olcott, has been traced, by the help of one of the 
Trustees, from its origin to its present form, and we declare that 
it grew out of a single misconception, exaggerated until it took 
its present dimensions — reminding us of that trite history of 
exaggeration which each one will refer to at once for himself. 

The " story " was this : A gentleman from a Western 
state, while in Albany, visited the Observatory, and 
conversed with Dr. Gould, who indulged in very gross 
abuse of the Trustees, and in representations respecting 
the Observatory, such as he had made in his letters to 
the Altona Journal. This is of importance only so far 
as it tends to prove, that Dr. Gould was really endea- 
voring to injure the Institution by misrepresentation, 
while professing a desire to promote its interests. That 
the pretended explanation of the " defence" is destitute 
of truth, will be seen from the following letter from a 
well-known citizen: 

Thomas W. Olcott, Esq.: 

Dear Sir — At your request, I would say that the statement 
made by you in your first communication to the Trustees of the 
Dudley Observatory, in regard to the visit of a "gentleman from 
the West," is correct, and in accordance with the relation made 
to me by the gentleman himself. 

Yours, truly, 

Albany, Aug. 12th, 1858. THE. F. HUMPHREY. 

The Trustees now come to a singular and character- 
istic portion of the Defence, to which they desire to 
direct particular attention. 

On the 25th of January, Dr. Gould wrote to the 
German Astronomical Journal, at Altona, a letter for 
publication, in which appears the following : 

" Before I can receive an answer to these lines, I shall have 



159 

made my departure for Albany, where I intend to go in the mid- 
dle of February. 

It was my hope to begin active operations there, only when the 
means for a sure continuation, reduction and publication were in 
hand, but things have turned out otherwise ; and partly owing to 
the financial revulsion, partly owing to still worse circumstances, 
things have assumed another shape, so that the welfare of the 
Observatory requires absolutely the beginning of operations. 

The chief instrument is the magnificent Meridian Circle of 
Pistor and Martins, in Berlin. Only a few weeks ago it arrived, 
and lies still unpacked in the boxes. 

The construction is peculiar, and in many respects new, and 
will soon, as I hope, be described minutely. Besides, there is a 
Transit instrument, from the same makers, which the Coast Sur- 
vey of the United States presented to the Observatory. Thirdly, 
the Observatory possesses the Calculating or Tabulating machine 
of G-. and E. Sheutz, of Stockholm, which is still unpacked. 

Few means are now in hand for the commencement and con- 
tinuation of observations, but I hope through voluntary labor, 
and through the noble support of the Coast Survey, under the 
direction of Prof. Bache, at least to be able to do something" 

Several points will occur to the reader in this re- 
markable letter. The first and most important is, 
that Dr. Gould immediately after his appointment as 
Director of the Dudley Observatory, should have thought 
proper to write to a foreign journal that it was a pau- 
per institution, dependent upon his " voluntary labor " 
and the " noble support of the Coast Survey, under the 
direction of Prof. Bache." Did such representations, 
unfounded as they were, bear the indication of regard 
for the Observatory? Do they not rather appear, 
throughout, like an attempt to glorify the Coast Sur- 
vey, at the expense of the Observatory ? 

It is worthy of remark, that Dr. Gould represents that 
the Meridian Circle had arrived " only a few weeks " 
prior to the date of his letter. It had really been 
at the Observatory about three months. At the same 



160 

time, he speaks of the instruments being " still unpack- 
ed,' 7 in a manner calculated to create the impression 
that he was not responsible for the delay. 

It appears singular, too, that Dr. Gould should have 
omitted to allude, in this letter, to the Normal Clock, 
while mentioning the instruments at the Observatory. 
That Clock, it will be remembered, was ordered at 
Altona, where the- journal in which his letter appeared, 
is published. It was, according to Dr. Gould's account, 
a most wonderful and elaborate piece of workmanship. 
It had never been received. What more natural, if the 
clock was ever ordered, than to make some allusion to 
it, and some enquiries as to its progress, in a letter 
addressed to the very place where its maker resides ? 

At a subsequent date, Dr. Gould wrote another letter 
of a yet more offensive character to the Altona Journal, 
which has before been noticed. 

These letters have been denounced by the Trustees as 
evincing a spirit hostile to the interests of the institution. 
They were written to a foreign journal, unlikely to meet 
the eye of the Trustees, and could have but one object in 
view ; to misrepresent the condition of the Observa- 
tory. The Trustees believe this charge is fully 
sustained by the letters themselves, and they ask the 
reader to mark how they are met by the defence. The 
Council say, " The matter of Dr. Gould's Letter to the 
Astronomical Journal of Altona, is a perfectly simple one." 
They then proceed — not to defend those letters from the 
charge of slandering and injuring the Observatory— 



161 

but to recapitulate the services which Dr. Gould and 
his assistants render to the Government and to the 
Observatory; the compensation they receive ; the quality 
of the labor they perform ; the " devotion " of his assis- 
tants to Dr. Gould ; and the " high respect and regard ,? 
which the Council entertain for these assistants. 

The quotation given contains every word that is said 
about the offensive letters of Dr. Gould: And yet in the 
" Summing up " the following " conclusion" is stated: 

The matter of the letter to the Astronomical Journal, of 
Altona, is shown to be a perfectly simple one, and to have in it 
not the first element of a charge against Dr. Gould. 

The reader can draw his own inferences from the 
remarkable course of " Defence" pursued by the Council. 

The charge that Dr. Gould's relations with the eminent 
astronomers of the day are such as to preclude the hope 
of any concert of action with them, is so characteristi- 
cally met by the Defence, that we give entire their 
argument and conclusion. They say : 

Recurring to the idea of the national character of the Dudley 
Observatory, Mr. Olcott declares that the personal relations of 
Dr. Gould with Mitchell, with Maury, with the Bonds, and with 
Brunnow, are such as to preclude the hope of concert and co- 
operation with them. How utterly this is unwarranted by the 
facts, is shown by the pages of the Astronomical Journal, edited 
by Dr. Gould, and which contain constant contributions from 
the Bonds, Maury and Brunnow ! The number just passing 
through the press contains a leading article from the last named 
astronomer. 

And again they declare the following to be the 

11 result " derived from the above : 

We give the reasons disproving the charge that promi- 
nent astronomers cannot co-operate in matters of science with 
Dr. Gould. 

16 



162 

Of course the Trustees have never supposed that the 
relations of the parties named, to each other, was such 
that the astronomers referred to, could not write arti- 
cles for the only Astronomical Journal at present 
published in the country 7 simply because Dr. Gould 
happens to be its editor. But only by such an eva- 
sion can the Council hope to deceive the reader of 
their " Defence/ 7 into a belief that Dr. Gould is upon 
terms of friendly relationship with the great astrono- 
mers of the country. 

The unworthy and dishonorable deception here 
practised by the Council will justify the Trustees in 
stating the facts. The authors of this " Defence " have 
not the poor excuse even of imagining that the feel- 
ings of the gentlemen they have named in their para- 
graph are friendly towards Dr. Gould. They put forth 
their pretence, in fact, in the face of knowledge to the 
contrary. They have not even been left in doubt. 

Prior to the publication of the " Defence," a letter 
was addressed by Dr. Gould to Prof. Brunnow, the 
only gentleman named in the " Defence," to whom he 
would presume to address such a request, asking a letter 
from that pure minded and gifted man, approving his 
course at the Observatory, and refuting the assertion 
made originally by Mr. Olcott. The following is Prof. 
Brunnow's reply, a copy of which was given to the 
Trustees by Dr. Peters, with permission to make it 
public. 



163 

Ann Arbor, July 1, 1858. 

Dear Gould — Yesterday I received some New- York Times, 
from which I learnt the present state of affairs at the Dudley 
Observatory, and Sunday came your note, together with the 
papers, in which Mr. Olcott's remarks about you are published. 
You will recollect that I frankly confessed to you that I did not 
approve at all of the manner in which Dr. Peters had been treated 
by you and your friends, and I expressed myself so continually 
in my correspondence with Peters. Very likely the Trustees 
heard, through him, of the side I have taken on this question, and 
mistook my strong disapproval of your course in this affair, as 
a rupture of all intercourse between us ; as it exists between 
you and Bond and Maury. This, I suppose, is the origin of 
the remarks to which you refer. 

I feel sorry for you individually, but I must say that you 
brought on all this difficulty by your own imprudence, and by 
your treatment of Dr. Peters ; and I must entirely condemn 
your course in this affair. 

T also regret that this has chilled the friendly feelings I had 
towards you since our first acquaintance. 

Yours, BRUNNOW. 

With this letter before them, the Council wrote and 
published to the world the above statement ! 

It may be asked, why do such unfriendly relations 
exist between the distinguished gentlemen named, and 
Dr. Gould? The reason will at once suggest itself to 
the minds of those who have a personal acquaintance 
with the late Director. Those who have become fami- 
liar with the mental habitudes of Dr. Gould, are quite 
aware that it is very common for him to speak in terms 
of disparagement and depreciation, of the achievements 
of other scientific men. The Trustees, did they think it 
proper to resort to the weapons in their own hands, 
could easily show that American astronomers are 
entirely justifiable in withholding from him their 
friendship and co-operation. But in this statement, 
the Trustees have thought fit to confine themselves to 



164 

matters relating directly to the Dudley Observatory, 
and have availed themselves only of such letters as are 
strictly of an official character, carefully abstaining 
from all reference to such as might by any possibility, 
be regarded as confidential. 

The Council occupy three pages in a professed descrip- 
tion of work done at the Observatory since January last. 
The object is to persuade the inexperienced reader into 
the belief that some important astronomical observa- 
tions have really been made by Dr. Gould and his 
assistants. The Trustees are assured by competent 
astronomers that this claim is entirely baseless and 
ridiculous. To them, the statement of the Council car- 
ries its own refutation. The following are extracts 
from a review of this portion of the Defence, prepared 
by Dr. Peters, the Professor of Astronomy, at Hamilton 

Observatory : 

Observatory of Hamilton College. 
Clinton, 1858 j August 7. 
Thomas W. Olcott, Esq., 

President of the Board of Trustees, Dudley Observatory. 

Dear Sir : As requested by your letter of 2d inst., I have examined 
the scientific value of what has been set forth by the members of the 
late Scientific Council in their pamphlet, entitled " Defence of Dr. 
Gould,' 5 as the results of work done at the Dudley Observatory since 
this was placed in charge of Dr. Gould and his assistants of the U. S. 
Coast Survey. 

Xhe results are summed up, on page 89, as consisting " of more 
than one thousand observations of magnitudes of stars," " of obser- 
vations for time, for longitude and others," "the magnetic con- 
stants," and they are fully, though confusedly, commented upon in 
art. 32, on pages 78-81. 

1. The more than one thousand observations of magnitudes of stars. — 
You are aware that the fixed stars, with respect to their brightness, 
are divided into classes or magnitudes, the brightest being called of 
the first, and the dimmest, just visible to the naked eye, of the sixth 
or seventh magnitude (varying a little with the sharp-sightedness of 
different persons). The distinguished astronomer of Bonn, Professor 
Argelander, has given the best celestial maps, in which, with parti- 



165 

cular attention to magnitudes, the stars from the first to the sixth, 
class are laid down. It seems that the young assistants of the Dud- 
ley Observatory, in making themselves acquainted with the configu- 
rations of the stars — those maps in hand — compared them with the 
heavens, and noted especially whether the brightness or the magni- 
tudes, as given by Argelander, were right or not, or, as it is expressed 
in terms less easily understood by the general public, they made " an 
elaborate and valuable series of photometric observations " (page 78). 
Certain stars are periodically changing in brightness, appearing some- 
times of a higher, sometimes of a lower class, and therefore are called 
variable stars. Their brightness usually is estimated by comparison 
with some neighboring star, and the date and time noted. In forty 
nights available since March 10, we learn the " astronomers" of the 
Dudley Observatory made in all about one thousand observations of 
magnitudes (comprising two hundred and eleven upon variable stars), 
that is, on the average, twenty-five in one night. Whether there be 
reason to ' c pronounce this a remarkable amount of work for the time 
and number of persons employed" (page 80), every one will easily 
judge for himself, considering wherein, as I stated, the very simple 
process of observing magnitudes consists, and bearing in mind that 
the term magnitude here does not mean the real size, but only the 
relative brightness. ##*##### 

2. Observations for time. Since time is an element auxiliary for 
other purposes, only of a temporary value, alike the correction of any 
instrument, and since regulating a clock is not in itself a contribution 
to science, I do not see how the observations for time have been men- 
tioned and slipped in among those " already made" (page 89), unless 
for filling up the meager list of work done. The expression " obser- 
vations already made" conveys the idea of something durable for sci- 
ence ; the knowledge of the accidental error and rate of the clock has 
no claim upon such an honor. Besides, I may be permitted to state, 
that observations for time have been made at the Dudley Observatory 
already since July, 1856. 

3. Observations for longitude. The determination of the longitude 
of the Dudley Observatorj 1 " was committed for the sum of $600 to the 
Superintendent of the U. S. Coast Survey, and therefore cannot with 
propriety be claimed as a work performed by the Observatory, even 
by insisting upon the cameleontic relation to Observatory and Coast 
Survey of Professors Bache and Gould. It shows only one instance 
more of the injustice customary under the system governing the Coast 
Survey, when Professor Bache, for extolling Dr. Gould, says, page 80: 
*< assistance was had from the field parties of the Coast Survey," 
without naming the able C. S. assistants, Messrs. Dean and Goodfel- 
low, by whom the work was done. 

On page 80 we read : "In the exchanges of telegraphic signals for 
longitude, 210 sets of observations have been made for instrumental 
corrections, 23 for personal equations, 189 for longitude, 109 ex- 
changed with New-York, and 47 for thread-intervals." This bill (pro- 
duced clearly for the purpose of making show of great figures with 
the public) is considerably reduced when nearer examined. For ex- 
ample, the 169 sets exchanged with New-York are evidently com- 
prised among the 189 for longitude. Though the mode of arrangement 
used in the Coast Surve}' seems different, the observations always and 
o great advantage may be arranged so as to make the sets for instru- 
mental corrections equally available for longitude signals, and if the 



166 

" 210 sets" are complete transits over all the wires, and not single 
wires, each set in the same time is a contribution to the determination 
of " thread-intervals." 

There is a contradiction in the statements made in regard to the 
determination of longitude. On page 78 is stated: "the difference 
of longitude of the Observatory from New-York has been determined;" 
but on page 69, at the close of a chapter on " Knickerbocker litera- 
ture," the longitude operations are said to be " still in progress." 
On page 80 is said: " The latter branch of the subject (thread-inter- 
vals) is still in progress." Allow me, dear Sir, on this occasion a few 
words about the whole affair of the longitude determination of the 
Dudley Observatory. The Observatory has since October, 1856, the 
magnificent 8 foot Transit, for the mounting of which everything was 
prepared in spring 1857. Nothing was easier than to mount this 
instrument, and nothing was more natural than to use the same in 
determining the longitude, the more so when in September of the 
same year Professor Bond kindly offered for the longitude the co- 
operation of the Cambridge Observatory. This offer, orally made to 
me, I communicated immediately to Dr. Gould, but it was by him 
instantly and despisingly refused. Thus the advantages of observing 
with large instruments on both end-stations, and of connecting the 
Dudley Observatory directly with the Harvard College Observatory, 
which by voyages of many hundreds of Chronometers between Cam- 
bridge and Liverpool has become indeed the fundamental point for all 
longitudes in this country, have been lost. A Coast Survey station in 
New-York and small Transportable Transit Instruments have been 
substituted; the large Transit remaining in its boxes. Will the mem- 
bers of the late Scientific Council assert, that "this is one of those 
instances of happy adaptation of ends to means that mark talent 
among practical men " (page 78) ? The cost for the longitude deter- 
mination was estimated to about $100, or at the utmost to $150. To 
make such an estimate, which is wholly confirmed by certificates from 
what the work actually has cost in other places, was considered by 
Professor Bache, in January, a delinquency. The Superintendent of 
the Coast Survey offered to do the work for $600, and thus the Obser- 
vatory fund, in this item alone, has sustained a direct loss of at least 
$450, by the counsel of those same men, who lately came to Albany, 
(see page 4 of their pamphlet,) "as men having a solemn duty to 
discharge towards the community, anxious to prevent the dissipation 
of a noble bequest, anxious to avert the disgrace to the city of Albany," 
etc. We may well ask again in their own language: " is this one of 
those instances of happy adaptation of ends to means [or of means 
to ends] that mark talent among practical men ?" 

Making observations for time; determining latitudes and longi- 
tudes, are of those elementary operations in practical astronomy, 
which the higher branches of surveying borrow for their uses. Hence 
it comes, that astronomers consider determining longitudes a rather 
easy work, and do it in much less time than surveyors. Greenwich 
and Cambridge, for example, the two great English observatories, 
determined their difference in longitude in two nights with the greatest 
precision; so also, Berlin and Frankfort, Cambridge in Massachusetts, 
and Fredericton in New Brunswick; and Greenwich and Paris, Green- 
wich and Brussels, Berlin and Konigsberg, and many other observa- 
tories have been determined in a few nights within the tenth of the 
second. If, as Dr. Gould has stated, it would cost from $200 to 
$300 to determine the longitude with the precision of one second of 



167 

time, and if, as the Members of the late Scientific Council have stated, 
the cost increases " in more than a cubic ratio with the precision," — 
then the precision of one tenth of a second would imply an expendi- 
ture of three hundred thousand dollars, — which is simply absurd. 

That the U. S. Coast Survey cannot determine longitudes with the 
same facility as astronomers, is natural; but that after two or three 
months the longitude of the Dudley Observatory is still laboring 
under the determination of " thread-intervals," is really astonishing, 
and does not " mark talent among practical men." 

4. Other Observations. These are explained on page 80, as fol- 
lows: "All the occultations have been observed which have been visible 
with the comet-seeker, and new discoveries of celestial bodies veri- 
fied." The number of occultations observed has not been given, and 
from experience I presume it not to amount to half a dozen. The 
high sounding assertion, that "new discoveries of celestial bodies 
have been) verified " is of course condemning itself; the discoverers 
of the different Comets, which have appeared in the first half of the 
present year, will not feel more certain of the reality of their discov- 
eries, nor science has gained anything, by the simple assurance that 
the young men have been gazing through the comet-seeker at the 
Dudley Observatory. 

5. The magnetic constants of the Observatory. We need only to 
look into the volumes of the Coast Survey Keports, where series of 
hundreds of magnetic observations, made by the skill and assiduity 
of Messrs. Chas. A. Schott and J. E. Hilgard, are published, in order 
to conceive of how little consequence the knowledge of the magnetic 
constants for any single place must be held. It is, however, a contri- 
bution, but one owed to the "field party," and not to Dr. Gould. 
Besides, the magnetic constants of the Observatory have been deter- 
mined twice before, in August, 1856, by an Austrian, and in Decem- 
ber, 1857, by a French traveller. 

You will see from the preceding analysis of the art. 32 of the pam- 
phlet, that in regard to the scientific value of the work done by 
those in charge of the Dudley Observatory, from January to June of 
the present year, I have come to a conclusion directly opposite to that 
of the Members of the late Scientific Council, who in their enthu- 
siasm exclaim the very simple observations upon magnitudes of stars 
as "sufficient to stamp with approval the unfolding glories of the 
Observatory," (page 80.) I believe the gentlemen deceive themselves 
in assuming judgment on astronomical matters, — none of them being 
astronomers. 

I remain with great esteem, 

Very respectfully yours, 

C. H. F. PETERS. 



The Trustees have thus presented what they believe 
to be a fair and truthful history of their connection 
with the four gentlemen who are now in possession of 
the Dudley Observatory. They have endeavored to 
set forth, with a strict regard to their truthfulness, all 



168 

the facts bearing upon this painful controversy. Much 
that has been said, they would gladly have omitted, 
were they not persuaded that justice, both to themselves 
and those with whom they are forced to contend, re- 
quired that it should be said. 

The Trustees claim to have been actuated throughout 
by a sincere desire to sustain and advance the interests 
of the Observatory. Most of them have been identi- 
fied with it from its first conception. To its manage- 
ment, they have given, faithfully and conscientiously, 
their best faculties. Some of them have made large 
contributions to its endowment. Some, too, have given 
to its interests, what was worth more than money, a 
large portion of their time, withdrawn from other pur- 
suits at very considerable sacrifice. None of them have 
.any personal wishes to gratify, or any personal interests 
to be subserved in this controversy, beyond the welfare 
of the Institution. 

When it was ascertained that Professor Mitchell could 
not, at once, take charge of the Observatory, as had 
originally been contemplated, the Trustees felt them- 
selves exceedingly fortunate in being able to procure 
the services of such a man as they were led to believe 
Dr. Gould to be, to take charge of it and carry it for- 
ward to a successful completion. They felt, too, that 
they had gained much for their young enterprise, when 
they were able to connect with it the names of Bache, 
Henry and Pierce. They entered into this new arrange- 
ment with the most exalted hopes, and extended to 



169 

their new associates and advisers their most unrestrict- 
ed confidence. Those hopes have been disappointed, 
and that confidence has misled them. 

That they have greatly erred, the Trustees pain- 
fully realize. But for this they claim that they are en- 
titled to be judged with some indulgence. Though it 
has been disastrous to the Observatory, and but for 
their own timely interposition, might have proved fatal, 
the error was the result of too great reliance upon men 
whom all the world were ready to honor. They surren- 
dered, too implicitly, their own judgment, to the control 
of one who, whatever merits he may possess, has been 
found totally unfit for the duties connected with the 
organization of an institution like the Dudley Observa- 
tory. 

Nor are the Trustees disposed to deny, that they are 
chargeable with a second error, as great perhaps, and 
less excusable than the first. After they had become 
satisfied that, whatever the talents or attainments of 
Dr. Gould, he was utterly unsuited to the position he 
had occupied, under the appointment of the Trustees, 
and had resolved upon an entire change in their 
arrangements, dispensing altogether with his services, 
so controlling was the influence, and so plausible the 
inducements of the Scientific Council, that the Trustees 
were again persuaded, contrary to the convictions of 
their own previous judgment, to restore Dr. Gould, and 
again put him in charge of the Observatory. What 



170 

they were then led to expect, and how- those expecta- 
tions have been disappointed, has already been seen. 

It required but a short period to demonstrate the 
sad error into which they had thns been led. Having 
determined that they could not, with fidelity to their 
trust, longer remain inactive, the Trustees, in respect- 
ful but decisive terms, informed the Scientific Council, 
for whom their respect was still unabated, that some 
change in the management of the affairs of the Observa- 
tory was necessary. They could not allow themselves 
to doubt, after what had already occurred, that such 
men would at once, advise Dr. Gould, whatever they 
might deem to be the cause of dissatisfaction, to retire 
from his position, and, if they chose to be further con- 
nected with the Observatory, suggest some suitable per- 
son to succeed him. The only desire of the Trustees was, 
to relieve the Observatory from his charge. This they 
desired to do with the least possible injury to the repu- 
tation or feelings of Dr. Gould. Had he then with- 
drawn, whatever he or his friends might have seen fit 
to say would probably have been borne in silence. 

What followed is now well known. The surprise of 
the Trustees can scarcely be conceived, when they 
found, that, instead of yielding to what seemed to be 
the necessity of the case, Dr. Gould and his three 
friends were all u bristling for a fight." The Trustees 
have been set at defiance. These men, relying upon 
their great name as a protection, have moved forward, 
regardless of law or right, to the execution of their 



171 

purpose, with a resoluteness which would better be- 
come the desperado or the assassin, than men occupying 
their position in the scientific world. A sentinel now 
walks upon his post at the gate of the Observatory, to 
repel any intrusion from its legal proprietors. 

It is among the most remarkable features of this con- 
troversy, and to the Trustees, as painful as surprising, 
that a portion of their fellow-citizens, who had hitherto 
withheld from this Institution their countenance and 
support, should now be found ready to aid and encour- 
age, by their influence and their contributions, in the 
perpetration of such an unequalled outrage. To be 
able thus to wield, at their will, such influences, to suit 
their own purposes, however dishonorable, is not 
among the smallest achievements of these men of 
science. 

There is a single other circumstance to which the 
Trustees, before taking leave of the subject, think 
proper to allude. They are glad to avail themselves of 
this opportunity, publicly to express their gratitude to 
those gentlemen, not in Albany alone, but in different 
places remote from that City, who have so magnani- 
mously, in former days, contributed to the endowment 
of the Observatory. It is a source of unceasing regret 
to the Trustees, that by employing a man to take charge 
of this noble enterprise, who has proved unsuited to the 
position, any part of these gratuities should have failed 
to contribute to the great end for which they were 
designed But, in the midst of these regrets, it is 



112 

gratifying to be able to assure their patrons that the 
evil has been discovered in season to save the Observa- 
tory ; and having " learned wisdom by the things they 
have suffered," the Trustees pledge themselves that no 
more " wasteful expenditures" will be allowed. 

The Trustees have received from a portion of these 
donors, a request that they would consent to refer the 
difficulties in which they are involved, to the arbitra- 
ment of disinterested men. Such a request, emanating 
from such a source, is entitled to a respectful consider- 
ation. This it has received. They feel great confi- 
dence in expressing their conviction that had the real 
friends of the Observatory who have united in this 
request been acquainted with the facts, as they are now 
disclosed, they would have taken a very different view 
of the question. In considering, as it became them to 
do, whether a compliance with such a request were prac- 
ticable as well as expedient, the question naturally 
arose, what was to be referred to such arbitrament and 
what should be the terms of the arbitration. The ans- 
wer to such an inquiry naturally suggests that such a 
reference is neither practicable nor expedient. The 
single question between the Scientific Council and the 
Trustees is, whether or not Dr. Gould shall continue to 
have the control of the Observatory. The very state- 
ment of the question shews that it is not a fit subject of 
reference. It is equivalent to a submission of the ques- 
tion whether the Trustees shall abandon the Observa- 
tory and surrender their trust altogether. 



US 

In conclusion, the Trustees say to their patrons and 
friends, that though wearied and pained with a con- 
troversy conducted with such desperateness, and in 
which their antagonists are able to command such a 
variety of resources, they are not discouraged. Their 
confidence is unshaken. They believe that truth and 
right will yet prevail ; and that the Observatory, the 
object of so much effort and sacrifice, will yet emerge 
from the thick cloud in which it is now enveloped, into 
a clear sky, and, as they hope and expect, under the 
guidance of its first scientific patron, move on to the 
accomplishment of a brilliant destiny. 

THO'S W. OLCOTT, 
IRA HARRIS, 
ROB ? T H. PRUYN, 
WM. H. DE WITT, 
JNO. F. RATHBONE, 
JAS. H. ARMSBY, 
SAM'L H. RANSOM, 
ALDEN MARCH, 
ISAAC W. YOSBURGH. 



Note. — It is deemed proper to add, that the duty of 
preparing this statement was originally assigned to Mr. 
Wilder, who was eminently fitted for such a service. 
He was engaged in the work up to the very hour of his 
death. That afflictive event cast upon others, who had 
less leisure at their command, the labor of completing 
what he had begun. This circumstance will account 
for the delay that has occurred. 



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